Home gateway apparatus

• US 20050144322A1
• Filed: 10/28/2004
• Published: 06/30/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/26/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Miyajima, Akira, Shino, Tomonori, Bando, Tatsuo
• Granted Patent: US 7,551,605 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/245
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4557 Directories for hybrid networks, e.g. including telephone numbers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1026 at the edge
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1036 at the edge
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols

Abstract

A home gateway apparatus is connected to a DNS server that stores and manages telephone numbers and an external NAPTR record corresponding to each telephone number. The home gateway apparatus also includes and mutually connects a plurality of internal terminals. The home gateway apparatus includes an NAPTR record generator that generates an internal NAPTR record of all internal terminals; an internal NAPTR memory area that stores the generated internal NAPTR record; an external NAPTR memory area that stores an external NAPTR record, which is selected from the internal NAPTR record to be allowed to be disclosed to the DNS server; and a self NAPTR record notification unit that notifies the DNS server of the external NAPTR record so that the DNS server can register the external NAPTR record in association with a telephone number.

Claims

1. A home gateway apparatus that is connected to a DNS server that stores and manages telephone numbers and destination information, the information including a plurality of terminal apparatuses corresponding to each telephone number, the home gateway apparatus mutually connecting a plurality of terminal apparatuses for its own network, the apparatus comprising:

a generator that generates destination information related to terminal apparatuses of its own network;

a memory that stores the destination information generated by the generator; and

a self terminal destination information notification unit that notifies the DNS server of the destination information stored in the memory, the destination information being associated with a telephone number of a terminal apparatus.

2. The home gateway apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

an inquiry information obtaining unit that obtains, when detecting a telephone number for an inquiry from the terminal apparatus of its own network, destination information corresponding to the telephone number; and

an inquiry information notification unit that notifies the inquiring terminal apparatus of the destination information obtained by said inquiry information obtaining unit.

3. The home gateway apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a power-on monitor unit that monitors power initiation of the terminal apparatus of its own network; and

a device information detection unit that detects, when said power-on monitor unit detects a power initiation of the terminal apparatus, device information of the terminal apparatus related to the power initiation.

4. The home gateway apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said generator generates destination information that includes destination and at least function service information, the generating being based on the device information of the terminal apparatus detected by said device information detection unit.

5. The home gateway apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said generator stores and updates the destination information of the terminal apparatus in said memory.

6. The home gateway apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a prohibition specification unit that selects, from destination information stored in said memory, destination information that is not allowed to be given to the DNS server.

7. The home gateway apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said self terminal destination information notification unit prohibits a notification of the destination information to the DNS server, the destination information being selected, by said prohibition specification unit, from the destination information stored in said memory.

8. The home gateway apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said self terminal destination information notification unit allows notification of the destination information to the DNS server, the destination information not being selected, by said prohibition specification unit, from the destination information stored in said memory.

9. A method for communication destination information from a home gateway apparatus to a DNS server, the home gateway being connected to the DNS server that stores and manages telephone numbers and destination information, the information including a plurality of terminal apparatuses corresponding to each telephone number, the home gateway apparatus mutually connecting a plurality of terminal apparatuses for its own network, the method comprising:

generating destination information related to terminal apparatuses of its own network;

storing the generated destination information into a memory; and

notifying the DNS server of the destination information stored in the memory, the destination information being associated with a telephone number of a terminal apparatus.

10. The method according to claim 9, further comprising:

obtaining, when detecting a telephone number for an inquiry from the terminal apparatus of its own network, destination information corresponding to the telephone number; and

notifying the inquiring terminal apparatus of the obtained destination information.

11. The method according to claim 9, further comprising:

monitoring power initiation of the terminal apparatus of its own network; and

detecting, when the monitoring detects a power initiation of the terminal apparatus, device information of the terminal apparatus related to the power initiation.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the generating generates destination information that includes destination and at least function service information, the generating being based on the device information of the detected terminal apparatus.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the generating stores and updates the destination information of the terminal apparatus in the memory.

14. The method according to claim 9, further comprising:

selecting, from destination information stored in the memory, destination information that is not allowed to be given to the DNS server.

15. The method according to claim 14, further comprising:

prohibiting a notification of the destination information to the DNS server, the destination information being selected from the destination information stored in the memory.

16. The method according to claim 15, further comprising:

allowing notification of the destination information to the DNS server, the destination information not being selected from the destination information stored in said memory.