Device and method for telecommunication systems

• US 6,614,888 B1
• Filed: 03/19/1999
• Issued: 09/02/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/02/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Optis Wireless Technology, LLC (Brevet Capital)
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Andreason, Tomas
• Primary Examiner(s): Eng, George
• Application Number:
  US09/271,977
• Time in Patent Office: 1,628 Days
• Field of Search: 379/90.01, 379/91.02, 379/92-3-, 379/93.01, 379/93.07, 379/93.09, 379/93.14, 379/196-198, 379/207, 379/211, 379/245, 370/352-356, 370/401, 709/225-229
• US Class Current: 379/93.02
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/066 Telephone sets adapted for data transmision

Abstract

The present invention relates to a device and a method for a telecommunication system comprising an exchange (1), which comprises a network connection device (6), which provides a user (A) with the possibility to connect a computer (12) to a data network (3), as well as a telephony server (7), which provides said user with the possibility to, during an ongoing data network session, use the service telephony on the same subscriber line (14), which is being used for the data network connection. The invention makes the handling of user information in the exchange (1) more efficient, by providing the network connection device and the telephony server with user information, which is entered in one single user data base (10). The data base is used for operation and maintenance personnel entering static user information and for entering session related user information, which is obtained during one single access control at connection to the data network (3). The information in the data base is accessible to both the network connection device and the telephony server, which makes a second access control, when activating the service telephony during an ongoing data network session unnecessary. The present invention decreases the amount of duplicated user information in the exchange and makes handling of user information in the exchange easier.

Claims

1. An exchange in a telecommunications system comprising:

a switching device;

a data network connection device connected to the switching device;

a telephony server connected to the switching device;

a user information database accessible from both the network connection device and the telephony server; and

an exchange controller that receives user information that is entered once via an input terminal, and stores the user information in the user information database within the exchange,

wherein;

the user information database receives and stores the user information, said user information database being accessible from both the network connection device and the telephony server for verification of the user information, said user information identifying the user and specifying the user'"'"'s rights to use both the data services and the telephony services;

the switching device establishes a first communication connection for exchanging data between a user'"'"'s computer and the data network connection device within the exchange;

the data network connection device establishes a second communication connection with a remote data network, said second communication connection providing data services with the remote data network, said network connection device requiring verification of the user information stored in the database before establishing the second communication connection; and

the telephony server utilizes the first communication connection to provide telephony services to a telephone at the user'"'"'s location while the first communication connection is also exchanging data with the user'"'"'s computer, said telephony server also requiring verification of the user information stored in the database before providing the telephony services.

2. A telecommunication system according to claim 1, wherein the data network connection device and the telephony server are implemented in an integrated unit responsible both for the establishment of the data connection between the computer and the data network via the exchange, and for providing the telephony services to the user, when the user is connected to the data network.

3. A telecommunication system according to claim 2, wherein the integrated unit also includes the user information database.

4. In a telecommunications exchange having a switching device, a data network connection device connected to the switching device, a telephony server, a user information database accessible from both the network connection device and the telephony server, and an exchange controller, a method of providing a user with simultaneous access to both data services and telephony services while only requiring user information to be entered once, said method comprising the steps of:

receiving the user information by the exchange controller and storing the user information in the user information database, said user information database being accessible from both the network connection device and the telephony server for verification of the user information, said user information identifying the user and specifying the user'"'"'s rights to use both the data services and the telephony services;

establishing by the switching device, a first communication connection for exchanging data between a user'"'"'s computer and the data network connection device within the exchange;

establishing by the network connection device, a second communication connection with a remote data network, said second communication connection providing data services with the remote data network, said step of establishing the second communication connection including verifying by the network connection device, the user information in the database before establishing the second communication connection; and

providing by the telephone server, telephony services to a telephone at the user'"'"'s location utilizing the first communication connection while the first communication connection is also exchanging data with the users computer, said step of providing telephony services including verifying by the telephony server the user information in the database before providing the telephony services.