Media communication system, and terminal apparatus and signal conversion apparatus in said system

• US 7,061,903 B2
• Filed: 03/16/2001
• Issued: 06/13/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Inventors: Higuchi, Mamoru
• Primary Examiner(s): Yao, Kwang Bin
• Application Number:
  US09/809,919
• Publication Number:
  US 20020051463A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,915 Days
• Field of Search: 370/352, 370/353, 370/354, 370/355, 370/356, 370/395.52, 370/395.2, 370/395.3, 370/395.31, 370/401, 370/463, 370/466, 370/474, 370/475
• US Class Current: 370/352
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1026 at the edge
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1036 at the edge
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1043 Gateway controllers, e.g. media gateway control protocol [MGCP] controllers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1104 Session initiation protocol [SIP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1106 Call signalling protocols; H.323 and related
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/006 Networks other than PSTN/ISDN providing telephone service, e.g. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) , including next generation networks with a packet-switched transport layer H04L65/00 takes precedence; aspects not specific to the type of network H04M3/00; special services in those networks H04M3/42
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/1225 Details of core network interconnection arrangements

Abstract

Disclosed is a media communication system in which communication of media such as sound, image and the like is performed between first and second terminals, each of which is constructed so as to be capable of IP communication, via an IP network. The system includes an IP packetizing unit for IP-packetizing and sending, to the IP network, a media signal sent from the first terminal, and for converting an IP packet received from the IP network to a media signal and sending the media signal to the first terminal, and a media signal transmitting unit for connecting a media/signal converter, which is provided within the first terminal, to the IP packetizing unit to transmit a media signal.

Claims

1. A media communication system for performing media communication between first and second terminals, each of which is constructed so as to be capable of IP communication, via an IP network, comprising:

a terminal as the first terminal having a media/signal converter for generating and sending a media signal and receiving a media signal, and a controller for controlling connection to the second terminal and for controlling sending/receiving of a media signal when a call is generated;

an IP packetizing unit for IP-packetizing and sending, to the IP network, a media signal sent from the first terminal, and for converting an IP packet received from the IP network to a media signal and sending the media signal to the first terminal; and

a media signal transmitting unit for connecting said media/signal converter, which is provided within the first terminal, to said IP packetizing unit, and for transmitting a media signal between said media signal converter and said IP packetizing unit,

wherein when the controller of said first terminal performs connection control by generation of a call, said controller communicates with said IP packetizing unit to acquire an IP address and port number of said IP packetizing unit, reports this IP address and port number to the second terminal, receives an IP address and port number of the second terminal from the second terminal and reports these to said IP packetizing unit, and said controller controls the media signal transmitting unit to connect said media signal converter and said IP packetizing unit,

said IP packetizing unit packetizes a media signal received from the media/signal converter via said media signal transmitting unit and sends the resulting packet to the IP network using the IP address and port number of the second terminal as the destination, and

the second terminal sends a media-signal IP packet to the IP network using the IP address and port number of said IP packetizing unit as the destination and said IP packetizing unit converts the IP packet received from the IP network to a media signal and sends the media signal to said media/signal converter via the media signal transmitting unit.

2. A media communication system for performing media communication between first and second terminals, each of which is constructed so as to be capable of IP communication, via an IP network, comprising:

an IP packetizing unit for IP-packetizing and sending, to the IP network, a media signal sent from the first terminal, and for converting an IP packet received from the IP network to a media signal and sending the media signal to the first terminal;

a media signal transmitting unit for connecting a media/signal converter, which is provided within the first terminal, to said IP packetizing unit, and for transmitting a media signal; and

the first terminal having, in addition to said media/signal converter for generating a media signal and receiving a media signal from the IP packetizing unit, a controller for controlling connection to the second terminal and for controlling sending/receiving of a media signal when a call is generated,

wherein when a call is generated, the first terminal performs control in such a manner that said IP packetizing unit operates as its own IP packetizing unit, and controls said media signal transmitting unit to connect said media/signal converter and said IP packetizing unit,

upon completion of the connection, the first terminal sends and receives media signals to and from the second terminal via said media/signal converter, said media signal transmitting unit, said IP packetizing unit and said IP network, and

wherein when the controller of said first terminal performs connection control, said controller communicates with said IP packetizing unit to acquire an IP address and port number of said IP packetizing unit, reports this IP address and port number to the second terminal and receives an IP address and port number of the second terminal from the second terminal and reports these to said IP packetizing unit;

said IP packetizing unit packetizes a media signal received from the media/signal converter via said media signal transmitting unit and sends the resulting packet to the IP network using the IP address and port number of the second terminal as the destination; and

the second terminal sends a media-signal IP packet to the IP network using the IP address and port number of said IP packetizing unit as the destination.

3. The system according to claim 2, wherein said media signal transmitting unit is constructed using a mobile communication network, said IP packetizing unit is provided within the mobile communication network and communication between the first terminal and said IP packetizing unit is implemented in accordance with a wireless-access communication protocol.

4. The system according to claim 3, wherein said IP packetizing unit provided within said mobile communication network is constituted by a media gateway and a media gateway controller is provided for communicating with the controller of the first terminal to control said media gateway by a predetermined protocol.

5. The system according to claim 4, wherein the controller of said first terminal is provided with a function of said media gateway controller, and said controller regards said media gateway and said media gateway controller as one virtual media gateway and controls his virtual media gateway by said protocol.