Telephone exchange system

• US 5,651,061 A
• Filed: 03/31/1995
• Issued: 07/22/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 09/01/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hitachi Telecom Technologies Limited
• Original Assignee: Hitachi Telecom Technologies Limited
• Inventors: Wada, Yasuo, Domoto, Yoshihisa
• Primary Examiner(s): Zele, Krista M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Wolinsky, Scott
• Application Number:
  US08/414,450
• Time in Patent Office: 844 Days
• Field of Search: 379/219, 379/220, 379/112, 379/113, 379/114, 379/115, 379/265, 379/266, 379/201, 379/127, 379/142, 379/183, 379/211, 379/200, 379/207, 379/232, 379/246, 379/247
• US Class Current: 379/246
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/715 using two or more extensions per line cordless telephones H04M1/725
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 9/002 with subscriber controlled access to a line, i.e. key telephone systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 9/005 with subscriber controlled access to an exchange line
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13096 Digital apparatus individually associated with a subscriber line, digital line circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13103 Memory
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13106 Microprocessor, CPU
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13173 Busy signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13176 Common channel signaling, CCS7
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13216 Code signals, frame structure
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1322 PBX
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13299 Bus
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1334 Configuration within the switch
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13395 Permanent channel, leased line
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/625 Arrangements in the private branch exchange

Abstract

A telephone exchange system useful for a dealing speech system or the like is disclosed, which can accommodate large numbers of lines (or trunks) and permit improvement of the reliability and call connection processing capacity. The system comprises exchange sub-systems A (EX-A) and B (EX-B) capable of independently executing an exchange operation and each accommodating a terminal. The terminal has a speech channel switch for connecting a speech channel including a handset to either exchange sub-system A (EX-A) or B (EX-B). When the process of connecting a call is brought about in the terminal, it selects one of the exchange sub-systems and controls the speech channel switch for connecting the call to the selected exchange sub-system.

Claims

1. A telephone system comprising:

an exchange sub-system containing a plurality of trunks; and

a plurality of terminals directly connected to the exchange sub-system by lines for executing a communication operation in cooperation with call connection control of said exchange sub-system connected thereto; and

said exchange sub-system having output means for outputting trunk information through the lines, the trunk information indicating a state change of one of said trunks to all of said terminals when a state of said one of said trunks changes, wherein

each of said terminals further includes;

a trunk table for storing the state of said trunks;

rewriting means for rewriting the state of said trunks stored in said trunk table in response to reception of said trunk information; and

control means for controlling said exchange sub-system to connect an incoming call to said respective terminal and to connect an outgoing call made from said respective terminal according to the state of said trunks in said trunk table,

wherein the control means determines if one of said trunks is available for setting up the outgoing call through said one of said trunks by determining if said one of said trunks has a corresponding state that indicates availability for use, and

wherein the control means determines if any of said trunks is currently available for use by said respective terminal for the incoming call based on other call connections currently being utilized by said respective terminal.

2. A telephone exchange system according to claim 1, wherein each of said terminals further includes:

a plurality of trunk buttons to input an instruction operation by a user relating to a corresponding one of said trunks;

means for detecting operation of any one of said trunk buttons by the user; and

a trunk button table to store data referencing each of said trunks contained in the exchange sub-system to each of said corresponding trunk buttons, wherein

upon detection of an instruction operation for an outgoing call inputted by operation of one of said trunk buttons by the user, said control means refers to said data stored in the trunk button table and detects the corresponding trunk of the outgoing call, and determines an availability of the corresponding trunk, based on the state of said trunks in said trunk table.

3. A telephone exchange system according to claim 2, wherein said trunk table stores containing position information identifying the exchange sub-system containing each of said trunks, wherein

upon detection of the outgoing call instruction operation, said control means refers to said data in the trunk button table to determine if the outgoing call can be set up through the corresponding trunk for the outgoing call based on the state of the corresponding trunk for the outgoing call retrieved from the trunk table, creates outgoing call information including the containing position information relating to the corresponding trunk of the outgoing call stored in the trunk table, and outputs the outgoing call information to the exchange sub-system.

4. A telephone exchange system according to claim 1, wherein each of said terminals further includes:

a plurality of trunk buttons to input an instruction operation by a user relating to a corresponding one of said trunks,

trunk state indicating means to indicate the state of each said trunks corresponding to each of said trunk buttons, and

a trunk button table storing data referencing each of said trunks contained in said exchange sub-system to each of said trunk buttons, wherein

said control means refers to said data stored in said trunk button table when detecting state trunk information indicating an incoming call of the corresponding trunk from the exchange sub-system, identifies the trunk button corresponding to the corresponding trunk for an outgoing call, and executes said trunk state indicating means corresponding to said identified trunk button to indicate the incoming call of the trunk corresponding to the outgoing call.

5. A telephone exchange system according to claim 4, wherein said trunk button table stores data relating to an incoming call tone to be output from each of said terminals and data relating to an existence of an incoming call tone to be output by the corresponding trunk of the incoming call, for each of said trunk buttons, wherein

said control means refers to said data stored in said trunk button table when detecting the trunk information which indicates the incoming call of the corresponding trunk from said exchange sub-system, and controls the incoming call tone output by the corresponding trunk of the incoming call.

6. A telephone system comprising:

an exchange system containing a plurality of trunks; and

a plurality of communication terminals directly connected to the exchange system by lines for executing a communication operation in cooperation with call connection control of the exchange system connected thereto,

wherein said exchange system further includes;

a trunk status detection means for detecting status changes of said trunks, and

an output means for sending out status change information indicative of a status change to all of said communication terminals when the trunk status detection means detects the status change of any of said trunks,

wherein each of said communication terminals includes,

a trunk status memory means for storing status kind information indicative of a status condition of each of said trunks,

a reception means for receiving the status change information which the output means sent out,

a rewriting means for rewriting status kind information of each of said trunks stored in the trunk status memory means on the basis of the status change information received by the reception means,

a control means for referring to the status kind information of one of said trunks in the trunk status memory means in response to an outgoing call initiated by a user through said one of said trunks and for executing a control operation in cooperation with said exchange system with respect to the outgoing call, and

a speech means having at least a sender and a receiver to be used in the outgoing call.

7. A telephone system according to claim 6, wherein the status kind information stored in the trunk status memory means is one of "idle status", "called status", "busy status" and "reserved status".

8. A telephone system according to claim 6, wherein each of said communication terminals further includes:

at least one trunk button for inputting an outgoing call order by a user to make an outgoing call through one of said trunks,

a button input detection means for detecting the input of the outgoing call order by depression of at least one trunk button,

a correspondence means for corresponding the depressed trunk button to the status kind information of said each of said trunks stored in the trunk status memory means,

a judge means for judging whether or not the trunk corresponding to the outgoing call order is available to the outgoing call on the basis of the status kind information of said each said trunks stored in the trunk status memory means,

wherein said control means reads the status kind information of the trunk corresponding to the outgoing call order in the trunk status memory means when the button input detection means detects the input of the outgoing call order by depression of the at least one trunk button, and makes the judge means judge whether or not the corresponding trunk of the outgoing call order is available for the outgoing call on the basis of the read status kind information.

9. A telephone system according to claim 8, wherein each of said communication terminals further includes:

a trunk button information memory means for storing accommodation position information of the trunk corresponding to the at least one trunk button,

wherein the control means refers to the accommodation position information of the trunk corresponding to the trunk button stored in the trunk button information memory means when the button input detection means detects the input of the outgoing call order of the at least one trunk button, checks the trunk corresponding to the outgoing call order en the basis of the referred accommodation position information, and reads the status kind information corresponding to the checked trunk in the trunk status memory means.

10. A telephone system according to claim 8, wherein each of said communication terminals further includes:

an outgoing call information output means for sending out an outgoing call information, indicative of the outgoing call order by the at least one trunk button, to the exchange system, and

wherein the control means edits the outgoing cell information of the trunk corresponding to the outgoing call order when the judge means judges that the trunk corresponding to the outgoing call order is available to the outgoing call on the basis of the read status kind information in the trunk status memory means, and makes the outgoing call information output means send out the edited outgoing call information to the exchange system.

11. A telephone system according to claim 10, wherein the accommodation position information of each said trunks is stored in the trunk button information memory means, and

wherein the control means searches the accommodation position information of the trunk corresponding to the outgoing call order in the trunk button information memory means when the judge means judges that the trunk corresponding to the outgoing call order is available to the outgoing call on the basis of the read status kind information in the trunk status memory means, and edits the outgoing call information including the accommodation position information of the trunk with respect to the outgoing call order.

12. A telephone system according to claim 10, wherein each of said communication terminals further includes:

a plurality of speech means each having a sender and a receiver,

a select means for selecting one of said speech means,

wherein the control means edits the outgoing call information including speech means information indicative of one of said speech means which is selected by the select means, when the judge means judges that the trunk corresponding to the outgoing call order is available to the outgoing call on the basis of the read status kind information in the trunk status memory means.

13. A telephone system according to claim 10, wherein the rewriting means rewrites the status kind information of the trunk corresponding to the outgoing call order to the "called status" in the trunk status memory means, after the control means edits the outgoing call information of the trunk corresponding to the outgoing call order and makes the outgoing call information output means send out the edited outgoing call information to the exchange system.

14. A telephone system according to claim 6, wherein each of said communication terminals further includes:

at least one trunk button to input an answering order by a user to make an answering of an incoming call to one of said trunks,

a trunk status indication means to indicate the status kind information of the trunk corresponding to the at least one trunk button,

a trunk button information memory means for storing a trunk button information of each said at least one trunk button, and

wherein the control means refers to the trunk button information in the trunk button information memory means when the receiving means receives the status change information indicative of the trunk incoming call from the exchange system, and judges whether or not there is the trunk button information with respect to the trunk corresponding to the received status change information in the trunk button information memory means, and makes the trunk status indication means corresponding to the trunk button to indicate the incoming call when judging that there is the trunk Button information which corresponds to the trunk with respect to the received status change information.

15. A telephone system according to claim 14, wherein each of said communication terminals further includes:

at least one trunk button to input an answering order to make an answering of an incoming call to one of said trunks,

a trunk statue indication means to indicate the status kind information of the trunk corresponding to the at least one trunk button, and

a trunk button information memory means for storing a trunk button information of each said at least one trunk button,

wherein the control means judges, on the basis of the trunk button information stored in the trunk button information memory means, whether or not there is the trunk button information with respect to the trunk corresponding to the received status change information in the trunk button memory means, and

when the control means judges that there is the trunk button information with respect to the trunk corresponding to the received status change information, the rewriting means rewrites the status kind information with respect to the trunk corresponding to the received status change information to the "called status".

16. A telephone system according to claim 6, wherein each of said communication terminals further includes:

at least one trunk button to input an answering order to make an answer of an incoming call to one of said trunks,

an output tone means to output an incoming call tone,

a trunk button information memory means for storing a trunk button information of the at least one trunk button and an incoming call tone information to indicate whether or not the output tone means should output the incoming call tons when the incoming call occurs in the trunk corresponding to the at least one trunk button, and

wherein the control means judges, on the basis of the trunk button information stored in the trunk button information memory means, whether or not there is the trunk button information with respect to the trunk corresponding to the received status change information in the trunk button information memory means, and, when judging that there is the trunk button information with respect to the trunk corresponding to the received status change information, judges, on the basis of the incoming call tone information stored in the trunk button information memory means, whether or not the output tone means should output the incoming call tone, and, when judging that the output tone means should output the incoming call tone, makes the output tone means output the incoming call tone.

17. A telephone system according to claim 16, wherein the incoming call tone information stored in the trunk button information memory means includes first information about whether or not the output tone means should output the incoming call tone in the trunk incoming call, and second information of a tone corresponding to the incoming call tone which the output tone means outputs, and

wherein the control means judges, on the basis of the incoming call tone information corresponding to the at least one trunk button, whether or not the output tone means should output the incoming call tone, recognizes the tone kind of the incoming call tons with respect to the trunk incoming call when judging that the output tone means should output the incoming call tone, and controls the incoming call tone output by the output tone means on the basis of the recognized tone of the incoming call tone.

18. A telephone system comprising:

an exchange system containing a plurality of trunks; and

a plurality of communication terminals directly connected to the exchange system by lines for executing a communication operation in cooperation with call connection control of the exchange system connected thereto,

wherein said exchange system includes,

an incoming call information detection means to detect an incoming call to any of said trunks, and

an output means for sending out an incoming call information to indicate that the incoming call information detection means detects the incoming call, to all of the communication terminals,

wherein each of said communication terminals includes,

a table to store a processing operation responsive to the incoming call to any one of said trunks,

a reception means for receiving the incoming call information which the output means sent out, and

a control means for judging autonomously, on the basis of the processing operation in the table, whether or not the trunk with respect to the incoming call information is the same as the trunk corresponding to the incoming call, when the reception means receives the incoming call information, for ignoring the received incoming call information when judging that the trunk with respect to the received incoming call information is not the same as the corresponding trunk, and for executing the processing operation with respect to an incoming call information in cooperation with said exchange system on the basis of the processing operation stored in the table when judging that the trunk with respect to the received incoming call information is the same as the corresponding trunk.

19. A telephone system comprising:

an exchange system containing a plurality of trunks; and

a plurality of communication terminals directly connected to the exchange system by lines for executing a communication operation in cooperation with call connection control of the exchange system connected thereto,

wherein said exchange system includes,

a trunk status detection means for detecting a status change of each said trunks, and

an output means for sending out a status change information indicative of the status change to all of the communication terminals when the trunk status detection means detects the status change of any of said trunks,

wherein each of said communication terminals includes,

a trunk status memory means for storing status kind information of each of said trunks, said status kind information including at least "idle status" and "called status",

a reception means for receiving the status change information which the output means sent out,

a rewriting means for rewriting the status kind information of each said trunks stored in the trunk status memory means on the basis of the status change information received by the reception means,

a plurality of trunk buttons corresponding on a one-to-one basis to said plurality of trunks, each trunk button being configured to input at least an answering order by a user of an incoming call to a corresponding one of said trunks or to input an outgoing call order by the user to said corresponding one of said trunks,

a button input detection means to detect the input of the outgoing call order or the answering order by operation of the trunk button,

a correspondence means for corresponding the operated trunk button to the status kind information of said each of said trunks stored in the trunk status memory means,

a trunk status recognition means for referring to the status kind information of the trunks stored in the trunk status memory means when the button input detection means detects the input by the trunk button and for recognizing the status kind information of the trunk corresponding to the operated trunk button, and

a control means for executing, in cooperation with said exchange system, an answering process to answer the incoming call to the recognized trunk when the trunk status recognition means recognizes that the status kind information of the trunk corresponding to the operated trunk button is the "called status", and for executing an outgoing call process, in cooperation with said exchange system, to the recognized trunk when the trunk status recognition means recognizes that the status kind information of the trunk corresponding to the operated trunk button is the "idle status".

20. A telephone system according to claim 19, wherein each of said communication terminals further includes:

a trunk button information memory means for storing a trunk button information of the operated trunk button, and

wherein the trunk status recognition means refers to the trunk button information which is stored in the trunk button information memory means when the button input detection means detects the input by the operation of the trunk button, recognizes the trunk corresponding to the operated trunk button, and reads the status kind information of the recognized trunk in the trunk status memory means.

21. A telephone system according to claim 19, wherein each of said communication terminals further includes:

an outgoing call information output means to send out an outgoing call information, indicative of the outgoing call order by the operation of the trunk button, to the exchange system, and

wherein the control means edits the outgoing call information of the trunk corresponding to the outgoing call order to be inputted by the operation of the trunk button when the button input detection means detects the input of the outgoing call order by the operation of the trunk button, and makes the outgoing call information output means to send out the edited outgoing call information to the exchange system.

22. A telephone system according to claim 21, wherein an accommodation position information of each said trunks is stored in the trunk button information memory means, and

wherein the control means refers to the accommodation position information of the trunk corresponding to the outgoing call order to be inputted by the operation of the trunk button when the button input detection means detects the input of the outgoing call order by the operation of the trunk button, and edits the outgoing call information, including the referred accommodation position information, of the trunk corresponding to the outgoing call order.

23. A telephone system according to claim 21, wherein each of said communication terminals further includes:

a plurality of speech means each having a sender and a receiver, and

a select means for selecting one of said speech means,

wherein the central means edits the outgoing call information including speech means information indicative of one of said speech means which is selected by the select means, when the button input detection means detects the input of the outgoing call order by the operation of the trunk button.

24. A telephone system according to claims 21, wherein the control means edits the outgoing call information and makes the outgoing call information output means send out the edited outgoing call information, and

wherein the rewriting means changes the status kind information corresponding to the outgoing call information stored in the trunk status memory means to a "reserved status".

25. A telephone system according to claim 21, wherein each of said communication terminals further includes:

at least one speech means each having a sender and a receiver, and

a connect means for connecting the speech means to one of the lines,

wherein the control means makes the outgoing call information output means send out the outgoing call information and drives the connect means so me to control the connection between the speech means and the connected one of the lines.

26. A telephone system according to claim 25, wherein each of said communication terminals further includes:

a plurality of speech means, end

a speech using information memory means for storing a speech using information to determine a priority order in use of the speech means,

wherein the control means selects one of the speech means on the basis of the speech using information stored in the speech using information memory means when controlling the connection between the speech means and the connected one of the lines, and drives the connection means so as to control the connection between the selected speech means and the connected one of the lines.

27. A telephone system according to claim 19, wherein each of said communication terminals further includes:

an answering information output means to send out a answering information indicative of the answering order to make the answering of the trunk incoming call by the operation of the trunk button, and

wherein the control means edits the answering information of the trunk with respect to the answering order when the button input detection means detects the input of the answering order by the trunk button, and makes the answering information output means send out the edited answering information to the exchange system.

28. A telephone system according to claim 27, wherein an accommodation position information of each said trunks is stored in the trunk button information memory means, and

wherein the control means refers to the accommodation position information corresponding to the trunk with respect to the answering order which is stored in the trunk button information memory means, and edits the answering information, including the referred accommodation position information, of the trunk with respect to the answering order.

29. A telephone system according to claim 27, wherein each of said communication terminals further includes:

a plurality of speech means each having a sender and a receiver, and

a select means for selecting one of said speech means,

wherein the control means edits the answering information including speech means information indicative of one of said speech means which is selected by the select means, when the button input detection means detects the input of the answering order by the operation of the trunk button.

30. A telephone system according to claim 27, wherein each of said communication terminals further includes:

at least one speech means each having a sender and a receiver, and

a connect means for connecting the at least one speech means to one of the lines,

wherein the control means makes the answering information output means send out the edited answering information and drives the connect means so as to control the connection between the speech means and the connected one of the lines.

31. A telephone system according to claim 30, wherein each of said communication terminals further includes:

a plurality of speech means, and

a speech using information memory means for storing a speech using information to determine a priority order in use of the speech means,

wherein the control means selects one of the speech means on the basis of the speech using information stored in the speech using information memory means, when controlling the connection between the selected speech means and the connected one of the lines, and drives the connection means so as to control the connection between the selected speech means and the connected one of the lines.

32. A telephone system comprising:

an exchange system containing a plurality of trunks; and

a plurality of communication terminals directly connected to the exchange system by lines for executing a communication operation in cooperation with call connection control of the exchange system connected thereto,

wherein said exchange system includes,

a trunk status detection means for detecting status changes of said trunks,

a trunk status information memory means for storing a status change information indicative of a status change,

an outgoing call information reception means for receiving an outgoing call information indicative of an outgoing call order, the outgoing call information having been sent out from one of said communication terminals,

a trunk recognition means for analyzing the received outgoing call information when the outgoing call information reception means receives the outgoing call information, and for recognizing an outgoing call trunk with respect to the outgoing call information,

a status information recognition means for recognizing the status change information stored in the trunk status information memory means which corresponds to the outgoing call trunk to be recognized by the trunk recognition means,

an output means for sending out, by the lines, status information including a trunk information indicative of the outgoing call trunk and a terminal information indicative of the communication terminal which sent out the outgoing call information, to all of the communication terminals, when the status information recognition means recognizes that the status change information of the outgoing call trunk is "idle status", and

a set means for setting a speech route between the outgoing call trunk and the communication terminal which sent out the outgoing call information,

wherein each of said communication terminals includes,

a plurality of trunk button s corresponding on a one-to-one basis to said plurality of said trunks, each trunk button being used to input an outgoing call order by a user to request a trunk to make an outgoing call,

a button input detection means for detecting the input of the outgoing call order by operation of a trunk button by the user,

a trunk status indication means to indicate status kind information of the trunk corresponding to the operated trunk button,

an outgoing call information output means for editing the outgoing call information of the trunk corresponding to the outgoing call order when the button input detection means detects the input of the outgoing call order by the operation of the trunk button and for sending out the edited outgoing call information to the exchange system,

an own terminal information memory means for storing the own terminal information indicative of an own communication terminal,

a reception means for receiving the status information to be sent out by the exchange system, and

an indication control means for comparing the terminal information contained in the received status information with the own terminal information stored in the own terminal information memory means when the reception means receives the status information, and for making the trunk status indication means change the status kind information of the trunk corresponding to the trunk information contained in the received status information, to indicate the status kind information indicative of the own communication terminal is "busy status", when corresponding the terminal information with the own terminal information.

33. A telephone system according to claim 32, wherein the indication control means compares the terminal information contained in the received status information with the own terminal information stored in the own terminal information memory means when the reception means receives the status information, and makes the trunk status indication means change the status kind information of the trunk with respect to the trunk information contained in the received status information to indicate the status kind information indicative of the other communication terminal is the "busy status", when not corresponding the terminal information with the own terminal information.

34. A telephone system according to claim 32, wherein when each of said communication terminals has the trunk button corresponding to the trunk with respect to the trunk information contained in the status information, the indication control means executes the comparing process of the terminal information and the own terminal information.

35. A telephone system according to claim 32, wherein each of said communication terminals further includes:

a plurality of speech means each having a sender and a receiver, and

a speech using information memory means for storing a speech using information to determine a priority order in the use of the speech means,

wherein the outgoing call information output means selects one of the speech means on the basis of the speech using information stored in the speech using information memory means when the button input detection means detects the input of the outgoing call order by the operation of the trunk button, edits the outgoing call information, including a speech means information indicative of the selected one of the speech means, of the trunk corresponding to the outgoing call order, and sends cut the edited outgoing call information to the exchange system.

36. A telephone system according to claim 32, wherein each of said communication terminals further includes:

a plurality of speech means each having a sender and a receiver, and

a speech using information memory means for storing a speech using information to determine a priority order in the use of the speech means,

wherein the outgoing call information output means selects one of the speech means on the basis of the speech using information stored in the speech using information memory means when the button input detection means detects the input of the outgoing call order by the operation of the trunk button, edits the outgoing call information, including a speech means information indicative of the selected one of the speech means, of the trunk corresponding to the outgoing call order, and sends out the edited outgoing call information to the exchange system, and

wherein the output means of the exchange system sends out the status information including speech means information which is contained in the outgoing call information received by the outgoing call information reception means, to all of said communication terminals.

37. A telephone system according to claim 32, wherein the indication control means compares the terminal information contained in the received status information with the own terminal information stored in the own terminal information memory means when the reception means receives the status information, and makes the trunk status indication means change the status kind information of the trunk corresponding to the trunk information contained in the received status information, to indicate a status kind information on the basis of the speech means information contained in the received status information which is indicative of the own communication terminal being in the busy status, when corresponding the terminal information with the own terminal information.

38. A telephone system comprising:

an exchange system containing a plurality of trunks; and

a plurality of communication terminals directly connected to the exchange system by lines for executing a communication operation in cooperation with call connection control of the exchange system connected thereto,

wherein said exchange system includes,

a trunk status detection means for detecting status changes of said trunks,

a trunk status information memory means for storing status change information indicative of a status change,

an answering information reception means for receiving an answering information which is indicative of an answering order to request a trunk for answering an incoming call, the answering information having been sent out from one of said communication terminals,

a trunk recognition means for analyzing the received answering information when the answering information reception means receives the answering information, and for recognizing the answering trunk with respect to the answering information,

a status information recognition means for recognizing the status change information which is stored in the trunk status information memory means and which corresponds to the answering trunk to be recognized by the trunk recognition means,

an output means for sending out, by the lines, status information including a trunk information indicative of the answering trunk and a terminal information indicative of the communication terminal which sent out the answering information, to all of the communication terminals, when the status information recognition means recognizes that the status change information of the answering trunk is "called status", and

a set means for setting a speech route between the answering trunk and the communication terminal which sent out the answering information,

wherein each of said communication terminals includes,

a plurality of trunk button s corresponding on a one-to-one basis to said plurality of trunks, each trunk button being configured to input an answering order by a user to request a trunk for answering an incoming call,

a button input detection means for detecting the input of the answering order by operation of a trunk button,

a trunk status indication means to indicate status kind information of the trunk corresponding to the operated trunk button,

an answering information output means for editing the answering information of the trunk corresponding to the answering order when the button input detection means detects the input of the answering order by the operation of the trunk button and for sending out the edited answering information to the exchange system,

an own terminal information memory means for storing the own terminal information indicative of an own communication terminal,

a reception means for receiving the status information sent out by the exchange system, and

an indication control means for comparing the terminal information contained in the received status information with the own terminal information stored in the own terminal information memory means when the reception means receives the status information, and for making the trunk status indication means change the status kind information of the trunk corresponding to the trunk information contained in the received status information to indicate the status kind information of the own communication terminal is "busy status", when corresponding the terminal information with the own terminal information.

39. A telephone system according to claim 38, wherein the indication control means compares the terminal information contained in the received status information with the own terminal information stored in the own terminal information memory means when the reception means receives the status information, and makes the trunk status indication means change the status kind information of the trunk corresponding to the trunk information contained in the received status information, to indicate a status kind information indicative of the other communication terminal is the "busy status", when not corresponding the terminal information with the own terminal information.

40. A telephone system according to claim 38,

wherein, when each of said communication terminals has the trunk button corresponding to the trunk with respect to the trunk information contained in the status information, the indication control means executes the comparing process of the terminal information and the own terminal information.

41. A telephone system according to claim 38, wherein when each of said communication terminals further includes:

a plurality of speech means each having a sender and a receiver, and

a speech using information memory means for storing a speech using information to determine a priority order for use of the speech means,

wherein the answering information output means selects. when the button input detection means detects the input of the answering order by the trunk button, one of the speech means on the basis of the speech using information stored in the speech using information, including speech means information indicative of the selected one of the speech means, of the trunk with respect to the answering order, and sends out the edited answering information to the exchange system.

42. A telephone system according to claim 38, wherein each of said communication terminals further includes:

a plurality of speech means each having a sender and a receiver, and

a speech using information memory means for storing a speech using information to determine a priority order for use of the speech means,

wherein the answering information output means selects one of the speech means on the basis of the speech using information stored in the speech using information memory means when the button input detection means detects the input of the answering order by the trunk button, edits the answering information, including speech means information indicative of the selected one of the speech means, of the trunk with respect to the answer order, and sends out the edited answering information to the exchange system, and

wherein the output means of the exchange system sends out the status information including speech means information which is contained in the answering information received by the answering information reception means, to all of said communication terminals.

43. A telephone system according to claim 38, wherein the indication control means compares the terminal information contained in the received status information with the own terminal information stored in the own terminal information memory means when the reception means receives the status information, and makes the trunk status indication means change the status kind information of the trunk corresponding to the trunk information contained in the received status information to indicate a status kind information on the basis of the speech means information contained in the received status information, which is indicative of the own communication terminal being in the "busy status", when corresponding the terminal information with the own terminal information.

44. A telephone system comprising:

an exchange system containing a plurality of trunks; and

a plurality of communication terminals directly connected to the exchange system by lines for executing a communication operation in cooperation with call connection control of the exchange system connected thereto,

wherein said exchange system includes,

a trunk status detection means for detecting status changes of said trunks,

an output means for sending out status change information indicative of a status change of one of the trunks to all of said communication terminals, when the trunk status detection means detects the status change of the one of the trunks, and

an outgoing call information reception means for receiving an outgoing call information which is indicative of an outgoing call order, said outgoing call information having been sent out from one of said communication terminals,

wherein each of said communication terminals includes,

a trunk status memory means for storing status kind information indicative of at least an "idle status" of the trunks,

a reception means for receiving the status change information sent out by the output means,

a rewriting means for rewriting the status kind information of each said trunks stored in the trunk status memory means on the basis of the status change information,

an autodial button to input at least an outgoing call order,

a button input detection means for detecting an input by the autodial button,

an autodial information memory means for storing an autodial information which, corresponding to the autodial button, includes an information indicative of the outgoing call order and an opposite party dial information,

a trunk select means for referring to the status kind information of each said trunks stored in the trunk status memory means when the button input detection means detects the input of the autodial button, and for selecting a trunk having an "idle status", and

an outgoing call information output means for editing the outgoing call information which includes information indicative of the selected trunk and the opposite party dial information to be inputted by the autodial button when the trunk select means selects the trunk in the "idle status", and for sending out the edited outgoing call information to the exchange system.

45. A telephone system according to claim 44, wherein each of said communication terminals further includes:

a trunk button corresponding to each of said trunks; and

a trunk button information memory means for storing a seizing priority information indicative of a seizing priority order of the trunk corresponding to the trunk button, and

wherein the trunk select means selects the trunk in "idle status" on the basis of the seizing order information stored in the trunk button information means.

46. A telephone system according to claim 45, wherein an accommodation position information of each said trunks is stored in the trunk button information memory means, and

wherein the information indicative of the trunk contained in the outgoing call information is the accommodation position information stored in the trunk button information memory means.

47. A telephone system according to claim 44, wherein each of said communication terminals disables the autodial button, when the trunk select means can not select the trunk having an "idle status".

48. A telephone system according to claim 44, wherein each of said communication terminals further includes:

a plurality of speech means each having a sender and a receiver,

wherein the trunk select means refers to the status kind information of each said trunks 6toted in the trunk status memory means when the button input detection means detects the input of the outgoing call order by the autodial button, and selects a trunk having an "idle status", and

wherein the outgoing call information output means selects one of said speech means and edits the outgoing call information including the speech means information with respect to the selected one of the speech means.

49. A telephone system according to claim 48, wherein each of said communication terminals further includes:

a speech using information memory means for storing a speech using information to determine a priority order in use of the speech means, and

wherein the outgoing call information output means selects one of the plurality of speech means on the basis of the speech using information stored in the speech using information memory means when the button input detection means detects input of the outgoing call order by the autodial button, and edits the outgoing call information, including the speech means information indicative of the selected speech means, of the trunk corresponding to the outgoing call order, and sends out the edited outgoing call information to the exchange system.

50. A telephone system according to claim 44, wherein, after the outgoing call information output means sends out the outgoing call information to the exchange system, the rewriting means changes the status kind information of the trunk corresponding to the outgoing call information in the trunk status memory means to a "reserved status".

51. A telephone system according to claim 44, wherein each of said communication terminals further includes:

an autodial status indication means which indicates a using, condition of said autodial button, and

an indication control means for making the autodial status indication means, to indicate the using condition in use, when the button input detection means detects the input by the autodial button.

52. A telephone system according to claim 51, wherein each of said communication terminals further includes:

a plurality of speech means each having a sender and a receiver, and

wherein, when the button input detection means defects the input by the autodial button and one of said speech means is selected, the indication control means makes the autodial status indication means, corresponding to the inputted autodial button, indicate a using condition in "busy status" on the basis of the speech means information indicative of the selected one of the speech means.