Multimedia private branch exchanger and private branch exchange system

• US 6,570,976 B2
• Filed: 01/07/1999
• Issued: 05/27/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/08/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Funato, Yasuo, Asada, Hiroshi
• Primary Examiner(s): TIEU, BENNY QUOC
• Application Number:
  US09/226,719
• Publication Number:
  US 20020015487A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,601 Days
• Field of Search: 379/265-1-2, 379/225, 379/201-1-2, 379/207-1-2, 379/219, 379/266-1-2, 379/309, 379/32-1-, 379/156, 379/176, 379/164, 379/279, 379/220.01, 379/221.01, 370/242, 370/250
• US Class Current: 379/221.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42323 PBX's with CTI arrangements

Abstract

The router unit is built in the main key telephone apparatus, the office line interface function and the independent power supplying function are deleted in the router unit, and the office line interface units and the power supply unit substitute for these functions. The temperature inside the cabinet, the operated state of the cooling fan, and the temperature and operating power supply voltage Vcc of the PC power supply unit, etc. are detected in the CTI personal computer, and these monitor data are transferred to the main key telephone apparatus and analyzed in the main key telephone apparatus, so as to detect abnormality in the CTI personal computer and take necessary measures against the abnormality.

Claims

1. A multimedia private branch exchanger, comprising:

a line interface unit for being capable of connecting a plurality of extension lines and having a function of controlling communication with telephone terminals to be connected to said extension lines;

a router unit for being capable of connecting a local area network and having a function of controlling communication with data terminals to be connected to said local area network;

an office line interface unit being provided commonly to said line interface unit and said router unit, for being capable of connecting an external communication network and having a function of controlling communication with said external communication network; and

a switching unit for selectively connecting said line interface unit and said router unit to said office line interface unit, on the basis of a request for setting a call.

2. A multimedia private branch exchanger according to claim 1, further comprising a power supply unit provided commonly to said line interface unit, said router unit, said office line interface unit and said switching unit, for supplying to each of said units power necessary for their respective operations.

3. A multimedia private branch exchanger according to any one of claims 1 or 2, wherein said router unit comprises a protocol converting unit for connecting said data terminals directly to said office line interface unit.

4. A multimedia private branch exchanger according to claim 1, wherein a hub for being capable of connecting a plurality of local area networks or data terminal devices is built in said router unit.

5. A multimedia private branch exchanger according to claim 1, wherein said router unit is composed of a router card attachable to and detachable from said multimedia private branch exchanger.

6. A multimedia private branch exchanger, comprising:

a line interface unit for being capable of connecting a plurality of extension lines and having a function of controlling communication with telephone terminals to be connected to said extension lines;

a router unit for being capable of connecting a local area network and having a function of controlling communication with data terminals to be connected to said local area network;

an office line interface unit being provided commonly to said line interface unit and said router unit, for being capable of connecting an external communication network and having a function of controlling communication with said external communication network; and

a switching unit for selectively connecting said line interface unit and said router unit to said office line interface unit, on the basis of a request for setting a call, thereby selectively enabling a first communication between a telephone terminal and the external communication network and a second communication between a data terminal and the external communication network.

7. A private branch exchange system comprising an exchanger apparatus capable of switching between a plurality of extension lines or switching between an office line and one of the extension lines, and a computer apparatus connected to the exchanger apparatus and executing line switching control in cooperation with the exchanger apparatus,

the computer apparatus including:

means for detecting an operating condition of the computer apparatus and accumulating detection results as monitor data; and

means for reading the accumulated monitor data and sending the read monitor data to the exchanger apparatus upon receipt of a monitor data transmission request sent from the exchanger apparatus,

the exchanger apparatus including;

means for generating the monitor data transmission request periodically and transmitting the monitor data transmission request to the computer apparatus;

means for monitoring an arrival of the monitor data from the computer apparatus, while measuring elapse of time from transmission of the monitor data transmission request;

means for analyzing monitor data and determining whether or not abnormality occurs based on results of analysis, when the monitor data is received within a predetermined time after transmitting the monitor data transmission request;

means for restarting or stopping the computer apparatus if the means for analyzing and determining determines that the abnormality has occurred; and

means for restarting the computer apparatus when the monitor data is not received within the predetermined time after transmitting the monitor data transmission request.

8. A private branch exchange system according to claim 7, wherein the computer apparatus further includes:

recovery monitoring means for monitoring recovery conditions of the computer apparatus; and

means for informing the exchanger apparatus of recovery monitor results obtained by the recovery monitoring means, and

the exchanger apparatus further includes recovery receiving means for receiving the recovery monitor results from the computer apparatus; and

means for determining a recovered condition based on the recovery monitor results received by the recovery receiving means.

9. A private branch exchange system according to claim 7, wherein the exchanger apparatus further includes means for generating abnormality display data representing contents of abnormality based on the received monitor data and transmitting the abnormality display data to a terminal connected to the extension lines, when analysis of the monitor data received from the computer apparatus shows that abnormality occurs inside the computer apparatus.

10. A private branch exchange system according to claim 7, wherein the exchanger apparatus is connected to a relay station, and the exchanger apparatus further includes means for generating abnormality display data representing contents of abnormality based on the received monitor data and transmitting the abnormality display data to the relay station, when analysis of the monitor data received from the computer apparatus shows that abnormality occurs inside the computer apparatus.

11. A private branch exchange system according to claim 7, wherein the exchanger apparatus further includes means for generating display data representing a malfunction of the computer apparatus and transmitting the display data to a terminal connected to extension lines, when the monitor data is not received within the predetermined time after transmitting the monitor data transmission request.

12. A private branch exchanger apparatus for use in a private branch exchange system comprising a computer apparatus which is connected to the exchanger apparatus and cooperates therewith for line switching control, the computer apparatus detecting an operating condition thereof, accumulating detection results as monitor data, reading the accumulated monitor data and sending the read monitor data to the exchanger apparatus upon receipt of a monitor data transmission request sent from the exchanger apparatus,

the exchanger apparatus comprising:

means for generating the monitor data transmission request periodically and transmitting the monitor data transmission request to the computer apparatus,

means for monitoring an arrival of the monitor data from the computer apparatus, while measuring elapse of time from transmission of the monitor data transmission request;

means for analyzing received monitor data and determining whether or not abnormality occurs based on results of analysis, when the monitor data is received within a predetermined time after transmitting the monitor data transmission request;

abnormality control means for restarting or stopping the computer apparatus if the means for analyzing and determining determines that the abnormality has occurred; and

restarting means for restarting the computer apparatus when the monitor data is not received within the predetermined time after transmitting the monitor data transmission request.

13. A private branch exchanger apparatus according to claim 12, further comprising:

recovery receiving means for receiving recovery monitor results representing an abnormality-recovered condition from the computer apparatus, and recovery determination means for determining a recovered condition based on the recovery monitor results received by the recovery receiving means.

14. A private branch exchanger apparatus according to claim 12, further comprising:

means for generating abnormality display data representing contents of abnormality based on the received monitor data and transmitting the abnormality display data to a terminal connected to extension lines, when analysis of the monitor data received from the computer apparatus shows that abnormality occurs inside the computer apparatus.

15. A private branch exchanger apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the exchanger apparatus is connected to a relay station, and which further comprises means for generating abnormality display data representing contents of abnormality based on the received monitor data and transmitting the abnormality display data to the relay station, when analysis of the monitor data received from the computer apparatus shows that abnormality occurs inside the computer apparatus.

16. A private branch exchanger apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the exchanger apparatus further includes means for generating display data representing a malfunction of the computer apparatus and transmitting the display data to a terminal connected to extension lines, when the monitor data is not received within the predetermined time after transmitting the monitor data transmission request.