Multipoint/multichannel connection device in integrated services digital network

• US 6,501,738 B1
• Filed: 09/16/1999
• Issued: 12/31/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Inventors: Awazu, Tomohiko
• Primary Examiner(s): HSU, ALPUS
• Application Number:
  US09/397,724
• Time in Patent Office: 1,202 Days
• Field of Search: 370/260, 370/261, 370/264, 370/420, 370/522, 370/524, 348/14.01, 348/14.08, 348/14.09, 348/14.11, 379/93.01, 379/93.07, 379/93.14, 379/93.21, 379/201, 379/202, 379/242, 379/245, 379/246
• US Class Current: 370/260
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/56 Arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities video conference systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 11/0457 Connection protocols

Abstract

The invention supposes the use of an integrated services digital network (102) which has a function of communicating the number of a source communications terminal (101) as source number information. A source number information identifying section (104) in a central unit 103 identifies source number information from the integrated services digital network (102). Communications processing sections (105) in the central unit (103) process arriving channels for which source number information is recognized as being identical, as arriving channels from the same communications terminal. As a result, the central unit (103) identifies arriving channels from a plurality of communications terminals (101) individually and then processes them without communicating source number information with the communications terminals.

Claims

1. A combination of a multipoint, multichannel connection device and an integrated services digital network, said connection device line-connecting communications terminals at multiple points, comprising:

a central unit, said central unit using a plurality of channels through said integrated services digital network which has a function of allocating a main number and separate numbers for one line connected to said central unit and informing said central unit of a separate number of a line specified by a source communications terminal at the time of transmission as arrival number information, and a function of selectively informing said central unit of the number of a source communications terminal as source number information, said central unit including;

source number information identifying means for identifying source number information provided by said integrated services digital network; and

communications processing means for processing a plurality of arriving channels, each arriving channel having source number information that is identical for arriving channels originating from the same communication terminal, and processing arriving channels whose number is a predetermined number or less for which source number is not identified as arriving channels from the same communications terminal.

2. A combination of a multipoint, multichannel connection device and an integrated services digital network said connection device line-connecting communications terminals at multiple points, comprising:

a central unit, said central unit using a plurality of channels through said integrated services digital network, which has a function of allocating a main number and separate numbers for one line connected to said central unit and informing said central unit of a separate number of a line specified by a source communications terminal at the time of transmission as arrival number information and a function of selectively informing said central unit of the number of a source communications terminal as source member information, each of said communications terminals making a transmission to said central unit using one of said separate numbers allocated, said central unit including;

arrival number information identifying means for identifying arrival number information provided by said integrated services digital network; and

communications processing means for processing a plurality of arriving channels, each arriving channel having arrival number information that is identical for arriving channels originating from the same communications terminal, and processing arriving channels whose number is a predetermined number or less for which source number is not identified as arriving channels from the same communications terminal.

3. A combination with an integrated services digital network, comprising:

a central unit, said central unit using a plurality of channels through said integrated services digital network which has a function of allocating a main number and separate numbers for one line connected to said central unit and informing said central unit of a separate number of a line specified by a source communications terminal at the time of transmission as arrival number information, and a function of selectively informing said central unit of the number of a source communications terminal as source number information;

a multipoint, multichannel connection device, said connection device line-connecting communications terminals at multiple points, said connection device including a plurality of lines connecting said central unit and said digital network, a key number being set up on said plurality of lines; and

said central unit including source number information identifying means for identifying source number information sent over any of said lines connected to said digital network, a nd communications processing means for processing a plurality of arriving channels on any of said lines, each arriving channel having source number information that is identical for arriving channels originating from the same communications terminal, and processing arriving channels whose number is a predetermined number or less for which source number is not identified as arriving channels from the same communications terminal.

4. A combination of a multipoint, multichannel connection device and an integrated services digital network, said connection device line-connecting communications terminals at multiple points, comprising:

a central unit using a plurality of channels through said integrated services digital network having a function of allocating a main number and separate numbers for one line connected to said central unit and informing said central unit of a separate number of a line specified by a source communications terminal at the time of transmission as arrival number information, and a function of selectively informing said central unit of the number of a source communications terminal as source number in formation, wherein said central unit and said digital network are connected by a plurality of lines, each of said communications terminals makes a transmission to said central unit on a preallocated line number and, when said transmission is rejected, makes transmission using another line number, said central unit including communications processing means for processing a lurality of arriving channels using a line as arriving channels from the same communications terminal.

5. The combination according to claim 4, wherein said central unit further includes transmission control means for searching for a free line and making transmission to a specific communications terminal over said free line to thereby cause said communications processing means to process the transmission of a plurality of channels over said free line as transmission to said specific communications terminal.

6. A combination of a multipoint, multichannel connection device and an integrated services digital network, said connection device line-connecting communications terminals at multiple points comprising a central unit, said central unit using a plurality of channels through said integrated services digital network, which has a function of forwarding arriving channels, a function of allocating a main number and separate numbers for one line connected to said central unit and informing said central unit of a separate number of a line specified by a source communications terminal at the time of transmission as arrival number information and a function of selectively informing said central unit of the number of a source communications terminal as source number information, said central unit and said digital network being connected by a plurality of lines each of which is allocated a different number, and each of said communications terminals makes a transmission to said central unit on a preallocated line number, said central unit including communications processing means for processing a plurality of arriving channels on a line as arriving channels from the same communications terminal, and arriving channel forwarding control means for searching for a free line for an arriving channel to a line that is processing or busy, issuing to said digital network a request to forward said arriving channel to a line that is processing or busy to said free line, and forwarding said arriving channel to a line that is processing or busy to said free line on the basis of arriving channel forwarding information sent by said digital network in response to said request.

7. The combination according to claim 6, wherein, when a second arriving channel originates on said free line during a process of forwarding said arriving channel to a line that is in process or busy to said free line, said arriving channel forwarding control means searches for a second free line, issuing to said digital network a request to forward said second arriving channel to said second free line, and forwarding said arriving channel to said second free line on the basis of second arriving channel forwarding information sent by said digital network in response to said second request.

8. The combination according to claim 6, wherein said central unit further comprises transmission control means for searching for a free line and making a transmission to a specific communications terminal over said free lime to thereby cause said communications processing means to process the transmission of a plurality of channels over said free line as transmission to said specific communications terminal.