Communication system using multiple types of communication modes, communication terminal, computer program, and communication method

• US 8,429,262 B2
• Filed: 02/23/2010
• Issued: 04/23/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Kitada, Naruhide
• Primary Examiner(s): Joo, Joshua
• Application Number:
  US12/711,155
• Publication Number:
  US 20100217851A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,155 Days
• Field of Search: 709204-207, 709223-224, 709227-228
• US Class Current: 709/223
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/00 Telephonic communication systems specially adapted for combination with other electrical systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42238 in systems with telephone lines with multiple users
• 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: H04W 4/16 Communication-related supplementary services, e.g. call-transfer or call-hold
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management

Abstract

A communication system includes multiple communication terminals that are used by multiple users; and a management unit that holds management information expressing which type of communication mode corresponding to which communication address information is used by which user and by which communication terminal, and connection information including communication address information of one communication terminal that has communicated and communication address information of the other communication terminal that has communicated. The management unit holds connection information corresponding to an instance of communication even if that instance of communication has ended. Each communication terminal can communicate with other communication terminals in one or more types of communication modes, and includes a communication support unit.

Claims

1. A communication system comprising:

multiple communication terminals that are used by multiple users;

a management unit that holds management information expressing which type of communication mode corresponding to which communication address information is used by which user and by which communication terminal, and connection information including communication address information of one communication terminal that has communicated and communication address information of another communication terminal that has communicated;

a terminal location specification unit that specifies locations of communication terminals; and

a user location specification unit that specifies locations of each of the users,

wherein the management unit holds connection information corresponding to an instance of communication even if that instance of communication has ended;

each of the multiple communication terminals communicates with other communication terminals in one or more types of communication modes, and includes a communication support unit;

in the case where a first-type communication mode of a first communication terminal that includes the communication support unit is used by a first user, the communication support unit accesses the management unit to specify communication address information corresponding to the first-type communication mode in a second communication terminal used by a second user, and the first communication terminal communicates with the second communication terminal in the first-type communication mode using the specified communication address information;

the first user is a user that used a second-type communication mode of a communication origin terminal prior to switching to the first-type communication mode of the first communication terminal;

the second user is a user that communicated with the first user using the second-type communication mode of a communication destination terminal prior to switching to the first-type communication mode of the first communication terminal; and

the specified communication address information is communication address information specified based on an instance of communication address information within the connection information that has another instance of communication address information corresponding to the second-type communication mode used by the first user, and based on the management information, and

wherein in the case where information expressing that a user using the first communication terminal is the first user is not included in the management information, the first user is specified for the first communication terminal based on a location of the first communication terminal as specified by the terminal location specification unit and a location of each of the users as specified by the user location specification unit.

2. The communication system according to claim 1,

wherein each of the multiple communication terminals includes a connection information transmitting unit;

the connection information transmitting unit of at least one of the communication terminals serving as the communication origin terminal and the communication destination terminal transmits the connection information including the communication address information of the communication origin terminal and the communication address information of the communication destination terminal to the management unit in the case where communication has been commenced between the communication origin terminal and the communication destination terminal; and

the following processes (A) through (E) are performed;

(A) the first user is specified as the user that uses the first communication terminal based on the management information;

(B) the connection information having the communication address information of the communication terminal used by the first user specified in (A) is specified;

(C) the second communication terminal having the communication address information of the other communication terminal in the connection information specified in (B) is specified from the management information;

(D) the user of the communication terminal specified in (C) is specified from the management information; and

(E) the user specified in (D) and the communication address information corresponding to the first-type communication mode, which is the communication mode that is to be used, are specified from the management information,

wherein the user specified in (D) is the second user;

the communication address information specified in (E) is the communication address information specified for the second user; and

the first communication terminal displays a screen for communication in the first-type communication mode in which the communication address information specified by the communication support unit has been received, and communicates with the second communication terminal in the first-type communication mode using the communication address information in response to an instruction from the first user.

3. The communication system according to claim 1,

wherein each of the multiple communication terminals or a relay device that relays communication performed by the communication terminals includes a connection information transmitting unit;

and

in the case where communication has been commenced between the communication origin terminal and the communication destination terminal, the connection information transmitting unit transmits the connection information including the communication address information of the communication origin terminal and the communication address information of the communication destination terminal to the management unit.

4. A communication terminal capable of communicating with other communication terminals in one or more types of communication modes, the communication terminal comprising:

a communication support unit that, in the case where a first-type communication mode of the communication terminal is used by a first user, accesses a management unit to specify communication address information corresponding to the first-type communication mode of a second communication terminal used by a second user,

wherein the communication terminal communicates with the second communication terminal in the first-type communication mode using the specified communication address information;

the first user is a user that used a second-type communication mode of a communication origin terminal prior to switching to the first-type communication mode of the communication terminal;

the second user is a user that communicated with the first user using the second-type communication mode of a communication destination terminal prior to switching to the first-type communication mode of the communication terminal; and

the management unit is a unit that holds management information expressing which type of communication mode corresponding to which communication address information is used by which user and by which communication terminal, and connection information including communication address information of one communication terminal that has communicated and communication address information of the other communication terminal,

wherein in the case where information expressing that a user using the communication terminal is the first user is not included in the management information, the first user is specified for the communication terminal based on a location of the communication terminal as specified by a terminal location specification unit that specifies locations of communication terminals, and a location of each of the first and second users as specified by a user location specification unit that specifies locations of users.

5. The communication terminal according to claim 4, further comprising:

a connection information transmitting unit that, in the case where communication has been commenced between the communication origin terminal and the communication destination terminal, transmits the connection information including the communication address information of the communication origin terminal and the communication address information of the communication destination terminal to the management unit.

6. A communication method in which a first communication terminal used by a first user or another communication terminal:

communicating with a second communication terminal used by a second user or another communication terminal in a second-type communication mode prior to switching to using a first-type communication mode of the first communication terminal; and

transmitting connection information including communication address information in the second-type communication mode of the first communication terminal or other communication terminal and communication address information in the second-type communication mode of the second communication terminal or other communication terminal to a management unit that holds management information expressing which type of communication mode corresponding to which communication address information is used by which user and by which communication terminal,

the management unit managing the connection information;

the first communication terminal accessing the management unit to specify communication address information corresponding to the first-type communication mode of the second communication terminal used by the second user in the case where the first-type communication mode of the first communication terminal is used by the first user;

specifying communication address information based on an instance of communication address information within the connection information that has another instance of communication address information corresponding to the second-type communication mode used by the first user, and based on the management information; and

communicating with the second communication terminal in the first-type communication mode using the specified communication address information,

wherein in the case where information expressing that a user using the first communication terminal is the first user is not included in the management information, the first user is specified for the first communication terminal based on a location of the first communication terminal as specified by a terminal location specification unit that specifies locations of communication terminals, and a location of each of the first and second users as specified by a user location specification unit that specifies locations of users.