Apparatus and method of connecting computer network to telephone

• US 6,339,592 B2
• Filed: 10/31/1997
• Issued: 01/15/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/11/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Inventors: Fugino, Nobutsugu, Iida, Ichiro, Saito, Tamio, Nishigaya, Takashi
• Primary Examiner(s): Kizou, Hassan
• Assistant Examiner(s): Pezzlo, John
• Application Number:
  US08/962,356
• Publication Number:
  US 20010043587A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,537 Days
• Field of Search: 370/352, 370/354-356, 370/400, 370/401, 379/349, 379/389, 379/215
• US Class Current: 370/352
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/1225 Details of core network interconnection arrangements

Abstract

When a source subscriber activates a voice communications unit of a computer, an agent process unit in a computer center receives a data stream transmitted from a voice communications unit. The agent process unit activates a voice communications unit capable of communicating with the voice communications unit, and transfers the data stream from the voice communications unit to the voice communications unit. A network control unit transmits a telephone number stored in a telephone number storage unit. Thus, communications can be established between the computer and a telephone terminal.

Claims

1. A method of connecting a call from a computer to a telephone in a system including one or more first computers having a voice communications ability, a computer center including one or more second computers connected to the first computers through a computer network, and one or more telephone terminals connected to the computer center and a telephone network, comprising:

providing, in each of the first computers, a first voice communications unit establishing communications between computer networks, a first voice/data conversion unit functionally connected to the first voice communications unit, and a first agent process unit;

providing, in the computer center, one or more second voice communications units establishing communications between computer networks, a second voice/data conversion unit functionally connected to the second voice communications unit, a network control unit connected to the second voice/data conversion unit, a second agent process unit, and a telephone number storage unit functionally connected to the second agent process unit;

activating the first agent process unit in at least one of the first computers, thereby establishing communications between the first agent process unit and the second agent process unit;

activating, by the first agent process unit, the first voice communications unit in such a way that the first voice communications unit can communicate with the second voice communications unit;

activating the second voice communications unit by the second agent process unit, and issuing a call from the network control unit to a telephone terminal designated by a telephone number stored in the telephone number storage unit; and

establishing communications between the at least one of the first computers and the telephone terminals,

wherein the first agent process unit and the second agent process unit manage communication type and communication status, and control the first and second voice communication units.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein

a telephone number writing unit is provided, writing a destination telephone number to the telephone number storage unit in the computer center, wherein

the destination telephone number is preliminarily written to the telephone number storage unit at an instruction from a source subscriber or a destination subscriber.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein

the destination telephone number is written to the telephone number storage unit in the computer center when an online instruction is input by a source subscriber through the at least one of the first computers.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein

the telephone number storage unit comprises a storage unit storing a character string indicating a destination subscriber and a storage unit for storing a telephone number corresponding to the character string;

a character string indicating a destination subscriber is input online through the at least one of the first computers;

the agent process unit converts the input character string into a destination telephone number by referring to the telephone number storage unit when a telephone call is issued; and

the network control unit issues a call to the destination telephone number.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein

the computer center comprises a telephone number reception unit receiving a telephone number to be stored in the telephone number storage unit from the network control unit;

and

the agent process unit or another agent process unit preliminarily receives a call through the network control unit and writes the telephone number received by the telephone number reception unit to the telephone number storage unit.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein

a user position monitor unit monitoring a position of a destination subscriber is provided;

the position of the destination subscriber is monitored by the user position monitor unit, and a telephone number available to the destination subscriber is written to the telephone number storage unit.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein

the user position monitor unit writes information indicating a computer being used by a destination subscriber to the telephone number storage unit when the destination subscriber uses the computer, and

when the information is written, a call is not issued to a telephone, but communications are established between computers by transferring a packet from the first voice communications unit to a voice communications unit of a computer of a destination subscriber, or by activating, by the first agent process unit, the first voice communications unit in such a way that the first voice communications unit can communicate with the voice communications unit of the destination subscriber.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein

when two or more computer centers are connected to a computer network,

the agent process unit in a first computer center connected to the computer network checks the telephone number storage unit when a connection request is received from a source subscriber, transfers the connection request to a second computer center physically close to an area to which a telephone number of the subscriber belongs, and connects the at least one of the first computers with the voice communications unit in the second computer center.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein

the first voice communications unit and the second voice communications unit transmit and receive animation data as well as voice data.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein

the computer center comprises a plurality of second voice communications units;

the second agent process unit recognizes a type of the first voice communications unit used by the at least one of the first computers according to a notification from the first agent process unit of the at least one of the first computers, selects one of the second voice communications units capable of communicating with the first voice communications unit from among the plurality of second voice communications units, activates the selected second voice communications unit, thereby establishing communications between the activated second voice communications unit with the first voice communications unit of the at least one of the first computers.

11. A method of connecting a call from a computer to a telephone in a system including one or more first computers having a voice communications ability, a computer center including one or more second computers connected to the first computers through a computer network, and one or more telephone terminals connected to the computer center and a telephone network, comprising:

providing, in each of the first computers, a first voice communications unit establishing communications between computer networks a first voice/data conversion unit functionally connected to the first voice communications unit and a browser;

providing, in the computer center, one or more second voice communications units for establishing communications between computer networks, a second voice/data conversion unit functionally connected to the second voice communications, a network control unit connected to the second voice/data conversion unit, a second agent process unit a server unit, and a telephone number storage unit;

accessing in at least one of the first computers from the browser unit to unit, issuing a specific instruction, transmitting a first agent process unit from the server unit to the browser unit, and activating the first agent process unit in the at least one of the first computers;

activating the second agent process unit in the computer center by the server unit;

activating, by the first agent process unit, the first voice communications unit in such a way that the first voice communications unit can communicate with the second voice communications unit;

activating the second voice communications unit by the second agent process unit, and issuing a call from the network control unit to a telephone number stored in the telephone number storage unit; and

establishing communications between the at least one of the first computers and the telephone terminals.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein

a telephone number writing unit is provided, writing a destination telephone number to the telephone number storage unit in the computer center, wherein

the destination telephone number is preliminarily written to the telephone number storage unit at an instruction from a source subscriber or a destination subscriber.

13. The method according to claim 11, wherein the destination telephone number is written to the telephone number storage unit in the computer center when an online instruction is input by a source subscriber through the at least one of the first computers.

14. The method according to claim 11, wherein

the telephone number storage unit comprises a storage unit storing a character string indicating a destination subscriber and a storage unit storing a telephone number corresponding to the character string;

a character string indicating a destination subscriber is input online through the at least one of the first computers;

the agent process unit converts the input character string into a destination telephone number by referring to the telephone number storage unit when a telephone call is issued; and

the network control unit issues a call to the destination telephone number.

15. The method according to claim 11, wherein

the computer center comprises a telephone number reception unit receiving a telephone number to be stored in the telephone number storage unit from the network control unit;

and

the agent process unit or another agent process unit preliminarily receives a call through the network control unit and writes the telephone number received by the telephone number reception unit to the telephone number storage unit.

16. The method according to claim 11, wherein

a user position monitor unit monitoring a position of a destination subscriber is provided;

the position of the destination subscriber is monitored by the user position monitor unit, and a telephone number available to the destination subscriber is written to the telephone number storage unit.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein

the user position monitor unit writes information indicating a computer being used by a destination subscriber to the telephone number storage unit when the destination subscriber uses the computer, and

when the information is written, a call is not issued to a telephone, but communications are established between computers by transferring a packet from the first voice communications unit to a voice communications unit of a computer of a destination subscriber, or by activating, by the first agent process unit, the first voice communications unit in such a way that the first voice communications can communicate with the voice communications unit of the destination subscriber.

18. The method according to claim 11, wherein

when two or more computer centers are connected to a computer network,

the agent process unit in a first computer center connected to the computer network checks the telephone number storage unit when a connection request is received from a source subscriber, transfers the connection request to a second computer center physically close to an area to which a telephone number of the subscriber belongs, and connects the at least one of the first computers with the voice communications unit in the second computer center.

19. The method according to claim 11, wherein

the first voice communications unit and the second voice communications unit transmit and receive animation data as well as voice data.

20. The method according to claim 11, wherein

the computer center comprises a plurality of second voice communications units;

the second agent process unit recognizes a type of the first voice communications unit used by the at least one of the first computers according to a notification from the first agent process unit of the at least one of the first computers, selects one of the second voice communications units capable of communicating with the first voice communications unit from among the plurality of second voice communications units, activates the selected second voice communications unit, thereby establishing communications between the activated second voice communications unit with the first voice communications unit of the at least one of the first computers.

21. A method of connecting a call from a computer to a telephone in a system including one or more first computers having a voice communications ability, a computer center including one or more second computers connected to the first computers through a computer network, and one or more telephone terminals connected to the computer center and a telephone network, comprising:

providing, in the first computers, a first voice communications unit for establishing communications between computer networks and a first voice/data conversion unit functionally connected to the first voice communications unit; and

providing, in the computer center, one or more second voice communications units for establishing communications between computer networks, a second voice/data conversion unit functionally connected to the second voice communications unit, a first network control unit connected to the second voice/data conversion unit, an agent process unit, a server unit, a telephone number storage unit, and a first data communications interface unit, wherein

each of the telephone terminals comprises a second network control unit, a second data communications interface unit, a voice communications interface unit, and a second browser unit;

the second browser unit of the telephone terminal accesses the server unit through the data communications interface unit of the computer center, and issues a specific instruction;

the computer center activates the agent process unit;

the activated agent process unit activates the second voice communications unit in such a way that the second voice communications unit can communicate with the first voice communications unit in at least one of the first computers connected to the computer network, disconnects communications with the telephone terminal, switches a connection to the first network control unit from the first data communications interface unit to the first voice/data conversion unit, and issues a call to the telephone terminal;

communications are disconnected between the telephone terminal and the computer center;

a connection of the second network control unit is switched from the second data communications interface unit to the voice communications interface unit, a call is awaited, and a call from a telephone network is answered; and

communications are established between the at least one of the first computers and the telephone terminal.

22. The method according to claim 21, wherein

the telephone terminal comprises a third agent process unit;

the browser unit of the telephone terminal accesses the server unit of the computer center through the second data communications interface unit of the telephone terminal and the first data communications interface unit of the computer center, and issues a specific instruction;

the computer center activates the second agent process unit;

the activated second agent process unit activates the second voice communications unit in such a way that the second voice communications unit can communicate with a first voice communications unit in the at least one of the first computers connected to the computer network,

the second agent process unit disconnects communications with the telephone terminal, switches a connection to the first network control unit from the first data communications interface unit to the second voice/data conversion unit, issues a call to the telephone terminal, switches a connection to the first network control unit from the voice/data conversion unit to the first data communications interface unit when communications terminates, and issues a call or an acknowledgment answer to the telephone terminal;

the third agent process unit of the telephone terminal disconnects communications with the computer center, switches a connection to the second network control unit from the second data communications interface unit to the voice communications interface unit, answers a call from the computer center, switches a connection to the second network control unit from the voice communications interface unit to the second data communications interface unit when communications terminates, and issues an acknowledgment or a call to the computer center; and

communications are established between the at least one of the first computers and the telephone terminal.

23. A method of connecting a call from a computer to a telephone in a system including one or more first computers having a voice communications ability, a computer center including one or more second computers connected to the first computers through a computer network, and one or more telephone terminals connected to the computer center and a telephone network, comprising:

providing a first voice/data conversion unit and a browser unit in each of the first computers; and

providing, in the computer center, a second agent process unit, one or more second voice communications units for establishing communications between computer networks, a second voice/data conversion unit functionally connected to the second voice communications unit, a network control unit connected to the second voice/data conversion unit, a server unit, and a telephone number storage unit, wherein

the browser unit in at least one of the first computers accesses the server unit, a specific instruction is issued, and the server unit transmits a first agent process unit and a first voice communications unit to the at least one of the first computers;

the first voice communications unit is activated by the first agent process unit in the at least one of the first computers in such a way that the first voice communications unit can communicate with the second voice communications unit;

the second voice communications unit is activated in the computer center by the second agent process unit in such a way that the second voice communications unit can communicate with the first voice communications unit;

the network control unit issues a call to a telephone number stored in the telephone number storage unit; and

communications can be established between the at least one of the first computers and the telephone terminal.

24. An apparatus for connecting a computer network to a telephone and having one or more computers connected to a computer network and a telephone network, comprising:

a voice communications unit establishing communications between computer networks;

a voice/data conversion unit, functionally connected to said voice communications unit, converting voice data into a voice signal and vice versa;

a telephone number storage unit storing a destination telephone number;

a network control unit issuing, connecting, and disconnecting a call through a telephone network; and

an agent process unit communicating with another agent process unit in another computer of the one or more computers connected to a computer network, activating said voice communications unit when a voice communications connection request is received, and instructing said network control unit to issue a call to a telephone number stored in said telephone number storage unit, wherein said agent process unit manages communication type and communication status and controls said voice communication unit.

25. An apparatus which has one or more computers connected to a computer network and a telephone network, and connects a call from a computer network to a telephone terminal, comprising:

a network control unit issuing, connecting, and disconnecting a call to a telephone network;

a data communications interface unit receiving data or a specific instruction transferred from a telephone terminal capable of communicating data through the network control unit;

a voice communications unit establishing voice communications between computer networks;

a voice/data conversion unit, functionally connected to said voice communications unit, converting voice data into a voice signal and vice versa;

a telephone number storage unit storing a destination telephone number;

an agent process unit activating said voice communications unit in such a way that said voice communications unit can communicate with another computer connected through a computer network, disconnecting communications with a telephone terminal which issued a specific instruction, switching a connection to said network control unit from said data communications interface unit to said voice/data conversion unit, and instructing said network control unit to issue a call to the telephone terminal; and

a server unit activating said agent process unit at a specific instruction from said data communications interface unit.

26. A telephone terminal for communicating with a computer connected to a computer network through a computer center connected to a telephone network and a computer network;

comprising;

a data communications interface unit;

a voice communications interface unit;

a browser unit accessing a server unit of the computer center through the data communications interface unit, and issuing a specific instruction;

a network control unit disconnecting communications with the computer center after issuing the specific instruction, switching a connection from said data communications interface unit to said voice communications interface unit, entering a call wait state, and returning an answer in response to an arriving call from a telephone network; and

an agent process unit switching a connection of said network control unit from said data communications interface unit to said voice communications interface unit after issuing the specific instruction.