Server of a computer network telephone system

• US 5,991,291 A
• Filed: 12/13/1996
• Issued: 11/23/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Watanabe, Hidekazu, Asai, Masahiro, Oyama, Akimasa
• Primary Examiner(s): VU, HUY DUY
• Application Number:
  US08/766,483
• Time in Patent Office: 1,075 Days
• Field of Search: 370/260, 370/261, 370/262, 370/263, 370/264, 370/265, 370/266, 370/267, 370/268, 370/401, 370/400, 370/402, 370/403, 370/404, 370/259, 370/405, 370/406, 370/352, 370/353 , 370/354, 370/355, 370/356, 455/31.3, 379/201, 379/210, 379/211, 379/212, 379/214, 379/90.01, 379/91.02, 379/93.01, 379/93.02, 379/93.03, 379/93.04, 379/93.07, 379/93.14, 379/93.21 , 379/93.23, 379/93.24, 379/100.06, 379/100.08
• US Class Current: 370/352
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• 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 3/48 Arrangements for recalling a calling subscriber when the wanted subscriber ceases to be busy
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/122 where the PSTN/ISDN access is used as an access to networks other than PSTN/ISDN access arrangements to networks other than PSTN/ISDN H04M7/0066; access arrangements to public data networks H04L12/2856
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/128 Details of addressing, directories or routing tables

Abstract

A server is used in a computer network telephone system having a computer network that can connect a plurality of terminal devices via at least one server to transmit data containing audio data between the terminal devices. The server provides predetermined services for the terminals when it receives predetermined information from the terminals.

Claims

1. A server of a computer network telephone system having a computer network that connects a plurality of terminal devices via at least said server to transmit data containing audio data between the terminal devices, comprising:

means for providing predetermined services for one of said plurality of terminal devices connected through said computer network when said server has received predetermined information from said one of said plurality of terminal devices,

wherein if said predetermined information is a notice of absence, when said server receives a call request for said one of said plurality of terminal devices as a destination terminal for said call request, said server performs one of said predetermined services including promptly sending at a time of receiving said call request a notice of said call request by facsimile to a designated facsimile number or by e-mail to a designated e-mail address,

wherein if said predetermined information is a transfer request, when said server receives said call request for said one of said plurality of terminal devices as a destination terminal for said call request, said server performs another one of said predetermined services including promptly calling up a designated telephone number or a designated pager at a time of receiving said call request, and

wherein said call request is transferred to each transfer destination in a priority order designated by a user until said call request is answered.

2. The server of a computer network telephone system according to claim 1, wherein, when said server receives a call request to for said one of said plurality of terminal devices as the destination terminal of said call request, and said server has previously received said notice of absence as said predetermined information, said server stores log information indicating said call request.

3. The server of a computer network telephone system according to claim 1, wherein, when said server receives said call request for said one of said plurality of terminal devices as the destination terminal of said call request, and said server has previously received said notice of absence as said predetermined information from said one of said plurality of terminal devices, said server sends a notice of said call request to said designated e-mail address by e-mail.

4. The server of a computer network telephone system according to claim 1, wherein, when said server receives said call request for said one of said plurality of terminal devices as the destination terminal of said call request, and said server has previously received said notice of absence as said predetermined information from said one of said plurality of terminal devices, said server sends a notice of said call request to said designated facsimile number by facsimile.

8. The server of a computer network telephone system according to claim 1, wherein, when said server receives a call request for said one of said plurality of terminal devices as the destination terminal of said call request, and said server has previously received a call choice request as said predetermined information, said server reviews whether said call request is from a source terminal specified by said call choice request, and determines whether to connect said source terminal to said destination terminal based on the review.

5. A server of a computer network telephone system having a computer network that connects a plurality of terminal devices via at least said server to transmit data containing audio data between the terminal devices, comprising:

means for providing predetermined services for one of said plurality of terminal devices connected through said computer network when said server has received predetermined information from said one of said plurality of terminal devices,

wherein if said predetermined information is a transfer request, when said server receives a call request for said one of said plurality of terminal devices as a destination terminal for said call request, said server performs one of said predetermined services including promptly calling up at a time of receiving said call request a designated telephone number or a designated pager, and

wherein said call request is transferred to each transfer destination in a priority order designated by a user until said call request is answered.

6. The server of a computer network telephone system according to claim 5, wherein, when said server receives a call request for said one of said plurality of terminal devices as the destination terminal of said call request, and said server has previously received said transfer request as said predetermined information, said server calls up said designated pager.

7. The server of a computer network telephone system according to claim 6, wherein said server informs said pager of an optimum server for connecting said pager with said call request.

9. A server of a computer network telephone system having a computer network that connects a plurality of terminal devices through at least one of said server and other servers to transmit data containing audio data between said plurality of terminal devices, said computer network having a router for connecting to other computer networks comprising said respective other servers, said server comprising:

means for connecting a source terminal which is connected to said computer network system through said server and a plurality of destination terminals through said computer network and other computer networks when said server receives a call request from said source terminal for said plurality of destination terminals,

wherein said server temporarily disconnects at least one of said source terminal and said plurality of destination terminals if a disconnect request from one or more of said source terminals and said plurality of destination terminals is issued.

10. The server of a computer network telephone system according to claim 9, further comprising means for dividing said source terminal and plurality of destination terminals into two or more groups in response to a request from one or more of said source terminal and plurality of destination terminals.