Electronic exchange apparatus having separated exchange unit and general-purpose control unit
First Claim
1. An electronic exchange apparatus comprising:
- exchange means connected to a plurality of communication terminal devices and for performing an exchange operation between said plurality of communication terminal devices based on a control signal in a first format;
control means for generating a control signal in a second format necessary for the exchange operation by said exchange means;
control signal transmission means connected between said control means and said exchange means for bidirectionally transmitting a control signal in a third format;
first interface means connected between said exchange means and said control signal transmission means for converting the control signal in the first format to a control signal in the third format and vice versa; and
second interface means connected between said control means and said control signal transmission means for converting the control signal in the second format to a control signal in the third format and vice versa;
wherein said exchange means further comprises a time switch, a port processor interface, and a CPU connected to said time switch, port processor interface, and said first interface means.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An electronic exchange apparatus where an exchange unit for controlling extension-line and trunk-line interface cards unique to the exchange apparatus is provided separately from a general-purpose central control unit. The exchange unit is connected to the control unit via an Ethernet and control signals are transmitted between them. The exchange unit is allowed to have only the function of converting the communication protocols between the control-channel highway and the Ethernet which are unique to the exchange apparatus. The control unit is designed to have all of the control functions associated with exchange processing. Thus, a software can be developed easily in a short time, helping reduce development costs and keep up with advances in the CPUs and peripherals.
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Citations
75 Claims
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1. An electronic exchange apparatus comprising:
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exchange means connected to a plurality of communication terminal devices and for performing an exchange operation between said plurality of communication terminal devices based on a control signal in a first format; control means for generating a control signal in a second format necessary for the exchange operation by said exchange means; control signal transmission means connected between said control means and said exchange means for bidirectionally transmitting a control signal in a third format; first interface means connected between said exchange means and said control signal transmission means for converting the control signal in the first format to a control signal in the third format and vice versa; and second interface means connected between said control means and said control signal transmission means for converting the control signal in the second format to a control signal in the third format and vice versa; wherein said exchange means further comprises a time switch, a port processor interface, and a CPU connected to said time switch, port processor interface, and said first interface means. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. An electronic exchange apparatus comprising:
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exchange means, connected to communication terminal devices via a control channel highway for transferring a control signal in a first format, and connected to a data highway for transferring a communication signal for performing an exchange operation between said communication terminal devices; control means, connected to said exchange means via a computer network, for controlling said exchange means based on a control signal in a second format, said exchange means comprising first interface means, connected to said computer network, for converting the control signal in the first format to a control signal in a third format suitable for the computer network and vice versa, and said control means comprising second interface means, connected to said computer network, for converting the control signal in the second format to a control signal in the third format and vice versa. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. An electronic exchange apparatus comprising:
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exchange means connected to communication terminal devices via a data highway for transferring a communication signal and for performing an exchange operation between said communication terminal devices based on a control signal in a first format; first interface means connected to said communication terminal devices via a communication network for transferring a control signal in a second format and for converting the control signal in the first format to a control signal in the second format and vice versa; and control means connected to said exchange means via the communication network, for controlling said exchange means based on a control signal in a third format, the control means comprising second interface means for converting the control signal the second format to a control signal in the third format and vice versa. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24)
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25. An electronic exchange apparatus comprising:
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exchange means connected to communication terminal devices via a data highway for transferring a communication signal and for performing an exchange operation between said communication terminal devices based on a control signal in a first format; and control means connected to said communication terminal devices via a control channel highway and connected to said exchange means for controlling said exchange means based on a control signal in a third format, the control means comprising first interface means for converting the control signal in the third format to a control signal in the second format and vice versa and second interface means for converting the control signal in the third format to a control signal in the second format and vice versa. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28)
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29. A method of originating a call through a private branch exchange apparatus, comprising the following steps:
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transferring an off-hook signal in a first format from a call originating terminal to exchange means via a control channel highway; converting the off-hook signal in the first format to a off-hook signal in a second format; transferring the off-hook signal in the second format to control means via a computer starting up a terminal processing program stored in the control means to perform a terminal process with respect to the call originating terminal; transferring a dial tone control signal in a second format from the control means to said exchange means via the computer network; converting the dial tone control signal in the second format to a the dial tone control signal in the first format; transferring the dial tone control signal in the first format to the call originating terminal via the control channel highway; transferring a dial signal including an address of a called party in the first format from the call originating terminal to the exchange means via the control channel highway; connecting the call originating terminal and the called party on the basis of the address included in the dial signal.
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30. An electronic exchange apparatus connected to a computer which generates a control signal in a first format necessary for exchange operation, the apparatus comprising:
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exchange means connected to a plurality of communication terminal devices, the exchange means having hardware unique to the communication terminal devices and performing an exchange operation between said plurality of communication terminal devices based on a control signal in a first format; interface means connected to said exchange means for converting the control signal in the first format to a control signal in the second format and vice versa; and control signal transmission means connected between said computer and said interface means for bidirectionally transferring the control signal in the second format.
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31. An electronic exchange apparatus comprising:
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exchange means connected to a plurality of communication terminal devices and performing an exchange operation between said plurality of communication terminal devices based on a control signal in a first format; control means for generating a control signal in the first format necessary for the exchange operation by said exchange means; control signal transmission means connected between said control means and said exchange means and which bidirectionally transmits a control signal in a second format; first interface means connected between said exchange means and said control signal transmission means for converting the control signal in the first format to a control signal in the second format and vice versa; and second interface means connected between said control means and said control signal transmission means for converting the control signal in the second format to a control signal in the first format and vice versa. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45)
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46. An electronic exchange apparatus comprising:
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exchange means connected to a plurality of communication terminal devices and performing an exchange operation between said plurality of communication terminal devices based on a control signal in a first format; control means for generating a control signal in a second format necessary for the exchange operation by said exchange means; control signal transmission means which is connected between said control means and said exchange means, the control signal transmission means transmitting a control signal in a third format from said control means to said exchange means; first interface means connected between said exchange means and said control signal transmission means for converting the control signal in the third format to a control signal in the first format; and second interface means connected between said control means and said control signal transmission means for converting the control signal in the second format to a control signal in the third format. - View Dependent Claims (47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60)
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61. An electronic exchange apparatus comprising:
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exchange means connected to a plurality of communication terminal devices and performing an exchange operation between said plurality of communication terminal devices based on a control signal in a first format; control means for generating a control signal in the first format necessary for the exchange operation by said exchange means; control signal transmission means which is connected between said control means and said exchange means and transmits a control signal in a second format; first interface means connected between said exchange means and said control signal transmission means for converting the control signal in the second format to a control signal in the first format; and second interface means connected between said control means and said control signal transmission means for converting the control signal in the second format to a control signal in the first format. - View Dependent Claims (62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75)
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Specification