IP telephone system, IP telephone apparatus and communications method

• US 8,089,954 B2
• Filed: 06/13/2005
• Issued: 01/03/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/20/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Miyajima, Akira, Kobayashi, Kazuto
• Primary Examiner(s): Cheng, Joe
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chu, Wutchung
• Application Number:
  US11/150,111
• Publication Number:
  US 20060018311A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,395 Days
• Field of Search: 370/352
• US Class Current: 370/352
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2535 adapted for voice communication over an Internet Protocol [IP] network Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) network equipment and services H04M7/006; implementation or adaptation of Internet protocol [IP], of transmission control protocol [TCP] or of user datagram protocol [UDP] H04L69/16
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/575 Means for retrieving and displaying personal data about calling party
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42042 Notifying the called party of information on the calling party details within substation equipment H04M1/57, signalling details H04Q3/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42059 Making use of the calling party identifier
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42076 where the identifier is a Uniform Resource Locator
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/436 Arrangements for screening incoming calls , i.e. evaluating the characteristics of a call before deciding whether to answer it based on the calling party profile H04M3/42059; based on location H04M3/42348; based on presence H04M3/42365; diversion H04M3/54
• 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

Abstract

An IP telephone system includes a source IP telephone apparatus, a Web server and an ENUM server. The source IP telephone apparatus is connected to an IP network. The Web server stores predetermined information regarding a user of the source IP telephone apparatus and transmits, to a destination IP telephone apparatus, the predetermined information in response to a request from the destination IP telephone apparatus. The ENUM server stores a NAPTR resource record which includes a URI utilized for obtaining the predetermined information stored in the Web server. In the IP telephone system, the destination IP telephone apparatus transmits, to the ENUM server, a request for a NAPTR resource record of the source IP telephone apparatus and transmits, to the Web server, a request for the predetermined information regarding the source IP telephone apparatus according to the obtained NAPTR resource record.

Claims

1. An IP telephone system comprising:

a calling IP telephone apparatus and a called IP telephone apparatus;

a Web server configured to store predetermined information regarding a user of the calling IP telephone apparatus, corresponding to a predetermined URI; and

an ENUM server configured to store a NAPTR (Naming Authority Pointer) resource record, the NAPTR resource record including an ENUM domain name corresponding to the predetermined URI stored in the Web server and a protocol corresponding to the predetermined URI;

the called IP telephone apparatus, comprising;

a display configured to display data; and

a controller configured to;

receive, from the calling IP telephone apparatus, a predetermined message command for a connection with the called IP telephone apparatus, the predetermined message command including a telephone number of the calling IP telephone apparatus;

extract the telephone number of the calling IP telephone apparatus from the predetermined message command received from the calling IP telephone apparatus;

generate an ENUM domain name based on the telephone number of the calling IP telephone apparatus extracted from the predetermined message command received from the calling IP telephone apparatus;

transmit, to the ENUM server, a request for transmitting, to the called IP telephone apparatus, the NAPTR resource record including the ENUM domain name generated based on the telephone number of calling IP telephone apparatus;

receive, from the ENUM server, the NAPTR resource record including the ENUM domain name generated based on the telephone number of calling IP telephone apparatus;

determine whether the protocol included in the received NAPTR record indicates a predetermined protocol utilized for accessing the Web server;

access the predetermined information regarding the user of the calling IP telephone apparatus stored in the Web server, based on the predetermined URI and the protocol included in the received NAPTR resource record, when it is determined that the protocol included in the received NAPTR record indicates the predetermined protocol;

receive, from the Web server, the predetermined information regarding the user of the calling IP telephone apparatus corresponding to the predetermined URI;

control the display of the called IP telephone apparatus to display the received predetermined information regarding the user of the calling IP telephone apparatus; and

sound a ringing tone at the called IP telephone apparatus while displaying the received predetermined information regarding the user of the calling IP telephone apparatus.

2. The IP telephone system according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined information regarding the user of the calling IP telephone apparatus comprises one of a telephone number of the calling IP telephone apparatus, a name of the user, an address of the user, an e-mail address of the user, and photo data representing a face of the user.

3. The IP telephone system according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined message command comprises an INVITE message specified in a SIP protocol, and the controller of the called IP telephone apparatus extracts the telephone number of the calling IP telephone apparatus from a header of the INVITE message.

4. The IP telephone system according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined message command comprises a SETUP message specified in a H.323 protocol.

5. The IP telephone system according to claim 1, wherein, when the controller of the called IP telephone apparatus determines that the protocol included in the received NAPTR resource record does not indicate the predetermined protocol, the called IP telephone apparatus transmits, to the calling IP telephone apparatus, a message command indicating that the called IP telephone apparatus is unavailable and denies the connection between the calling IP telephone apparatus and the called IP telephone apparatus.

6. The IP telephone system according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined protocol comprises a HTTP protocol.

7. The IP telephone system according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined protocol comprises a LDAP protocol.

8. The IP system according to claim 1, wherein the called IP telephone apparatus includes a telephone book, and

the controller of the called IP telephone apparatus further determines whether or not the extracted telephone number of the calling IP telephone apparatus is registered in the phonebook, and transmits, to the ENUM server, the request, when the extracted telephone number of the calling IP telephone apparatus is not registered in the phonebook.

9. A called IP telephone apparatus connected to a Web server and to an ENUM server, the Web server storing predetermined information regarding a user of a calling IP telephone apparatus corresponding to a predetermined URI, the ENUM server storing a NAPTR (Naming Authority Pointer) resource record, the NAPTR resource record including an ENUM domain name corresponding to the predetermined URI stored in the Web server and a protocol corresponding to the predetermined URI, the called IP telephone apparatus comprising:

a display configured to display data; and

a controller configured to;

receive, from the calling IP telephone apparatus, a predetermined message command for a connection with the called IP telephone apparatus, the predetermined message command including a telephone number of the calling IP telephone apparatus;

extract the telephone number of the calling IP telephone apparatus from the predetermined message command received from the calling IP telephone apparatus;

generate an ENUM domain name based on the telephone number of the calling IP telephone apparatus extracted from the predetermined message command received from the calling IP telephone apparatus;

transmit, to the ENUM server, a request for transmitting, to the called IP telephone apparatus, the NAPTR resource record including the ENUM domain name generated based on the telephone number of calling IP telephone apparatus;

receive, from the ENUM server, the NAPTR resource record including the ENUM domain name generated based on the telephone number of calling IP telephone apparatus;

determine whether the protocol included in the received NAPTR record indicates a predetermined protocol utilized for accessing the Web server;

access the predetermined information regarding the user of the calling IP telephone apparatus stored in the Web server, based on the predetermined URI and the protocol included in the received NAPTR resource record, when it is determined that the protocol included in the received NAPTR record indicates the predetermined protocol;

receive, from the Web server, the predetermined information regarding the user of the calling IP telephone apparatus corresponding to the predetermined URI;

control the display of the called IP telephone apparatus to display the received predetermined information regarding the user of the calling IP telephone apparatus; and

sound a ringing tone at the called IP telephone apparatus while displaying the received predetermined information regarding the user of the calling IP telephone apparatus.

10. The called IP telephone apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the predetermined information regarding the user of the calling IP telephone apparatus comprises one of a telephone number of the calling IP telephone apparatus, a name of the user, an address of the user, an e-mail address of the user, and photo data representing a face of the user.

11. The called IP telephone apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the predetermined message command comprises an INVITE message specified in a SIP protocol, and the controller extracts the telephone number of the calling IP telephone apparatus from a header of the INVITE message.

12. The called IP telephone apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the predetermined message command comprises a SETUP message specified in a H.323 protocol.

13. The called IP telephone apparatus according to claim 9, wherein, when the controller determines that the protocol included in the received NAPTR resource record does not indicate the predetermined protocol, the controller transmits, to the calling IP telephone apparatus, a message command indicating that the called IP telephone apparatus is unavailable and denies the connection between the calling IP telephone apparatus and the called IP telephone apparatus.

14. The called IP telephone apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the predetermined protocol comprises a HTTP protocol.

15. The called IP telephone apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the predetermined protocol comprises a LDAP protocol.

16. The called IP telephone apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising a phonebook,

wherein the controller further determines whether or not the extracted telephone number of the calling IP telephone apparatus is registered in the phonebook, and transmits, to the ENUM server, the request, when the extracted telephone number of the calling IP telephone apparatus is not registered in the phonebook.

17. A method for communicating with a calling IP telephone apparatus via the Internet at a called IP telephone apparatus, the called IP telephone apparatus being connected to a Web server and to an ENUM server, the Web server storing predetermined information regarding a user of the calling IP telephone apparatus corresponding to a predetermined URI, the ENUM server storing a NAPTR (Naming Authority Pointer) resource record, the NAPTR resource record including an ENUM domain name corresponding to the predetermined URI stored in the Web server and including a protocol corresponding to the predetermined URI, the method comprising:

receiving, from the calling IP telephone apparatus, a predetermined message command for a connection with the called IP telephone apparatus, the predetermined message command including a telephone number of the calling IP telephone apparatus;

extracting the telephone number of the calling IP telephone apparatus from the predetermined message command received from the calling IP telephone apparatus;

generating an ENUM domain name based on the telephone number of the calling IP telephone apparatus extracted from the predetermined message command received from the calling IP telephone apparatus;

transmitting, to the ENUM server, a request for transmitting, to the called IP telephone apparatus, the NAPTR resource record including the ENUM domain name generated based on the telephone number of calling IP telephone apparatus;

receiving, from the ENUM server, the NAPTR resource record including the ENUM domain name generated based on the telephone number of calling IP telephone apparatus;

determining whether the protocol included in the received NAPTR record indicates a predetermined protocol utilized for accessing the Web server;

accessing the predetermined information regarding the user of the calling IP telephone apparatus stored in the Web server, based on the predetermined URI and the protocol included in the received NAPTR resource record, when it is determined that the protocol included in the received NAPTR record indicates the predetermined protocol;

receiving, from the Web server, the predetermined information regarding the user of the calling IP telephone apparatus corresponding to the predetermined URI;

displaying the received predetermined information regarding the user of the calling IP telephone apparatus on the display of the called IP telephone apparatus; and

sounding a ringing tone at the called IP telephone apparatus while displaying the received predetermined information on the display of the called IP telephone apparatus regarding the user of the calling IP telephone apparatus.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein the predetermined information regarding the user of the calling IP telephone apparatus comprises one of a telephone number of the calling IP telephone apparatus, a name of the user, an address of the user, an e-mail address of the user, and photo data representing a face of the user.

19. The method according to claim 17 further comprising transmitting, to the calling IP telephone apparatus, a message command indicating that the called IP telephone apparatus is unavailable and denying the connection between the calling IP telephone apparatus and the called IP telephone apparatus, when the protocol included in the received NAPTR resource record does not indicate the predetermined protocol.

20. The method according to claim 17, wherein the called IP telephone apparatus further includes a phonebook, the method further comprising determining whether or not the extracted telephone number of the calling IP telephone apparatus is registered in the phonebook, and wherein the request is transmitted to the ENUM server, when the extracted telephone number of the calling IP telephone apparatus is not registered in the phonebook.