JPH09200362A - Communication method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To enable incoming call transfer for transferring communication data corresponding to the communication ability of the transfer destination through communication equipment connected to an integral service digital network(ISDN). SOLUTION: When a call is received at the communication equipment set to perform the incoming call transfer (100), communication ability (consistency information) requested from the call originating side is compared with the communication ability of the transfer destination (102). When there is the transfer destination satisfying the communication ability requested from the call originating source, the call is transferred to this transfer destination while utilizing the incoming call transfer service of ISDN (109). When there is no transfer destination satisfying the communication ability requested from the call originating source, since the call can not be transferred through the incoming call transfer service of ISDN, the communication data are received and stored at the transfer source (112). The transfer source converts the communication data corresponding to the communication ability of the transfer destination and these data are transmitted from the transfer source to the transfer destination (116).

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a communication device connected to an integrated service digital network (ISDN).

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art The use of ISDN (Integrated Service Digital Network) networks has been widespread with the development of digital communication technology. Among the supplementary services provided by ISDN, there is a service called a call transfer service.
With this service, when the transfer source wants to transfer an incoming call to another party, the call can be transferred from the transfer source to the target transfer destination by interacting with the transfer source and the network. Is.

However, when the call transfer service provided by the current ISDN is used, the consistency information (hereinafter referred to as communication capability) between the caller and the callee as the transfer source is directly used as the transfer source. Used as a communication capability between transfer destinations.
In other words, the call transfer service provided by ISDN assumes that the transfer source communication capability and the transfer destination communication capability are exactly the same. Therefore, if the communication capability of the transfer destination is different from that of the transfer source, the communication content may not be accurately transferred to the transfer destination.

For example, the communication device of the transfer source has the communication capability of both the call (telephone) and the G4 facsimile, and the transfer destination is capable of only the call. When the caller makes a call to the transferor by telephone and the transferor transfers the call to the transferee, the transferee can communicate with the caller. However, when the caller makes a call using the G4 facsimile and the caller transfers the call to the transferee, the transferee cannot process the contents of communication.

That is, the transmission source transmits the data matched to the communication capability of the transfer source, but the transfer source transfers the data sent from the transmission source to the transfer destination as it is, so that it matches the communication capability of the transfer destination. There was a problem that some data might be sent.

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In consideration of the above facts, the present invention considers a case where a communication device connected to an integrated service digital network (ISDN) has a communication capability required by a sender and a communication capability of a transfer destination different from each other. Also, it aims to provide a communication method for surely performing transfer.

[0007]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the invention according to claim 1 uses a communication device connected to an integrated service digital network (ISDN) to make a call transfer service in this ISDN. Is a communication method using
A transfer destination candidate is preset in the transfer source, and address information and communication capability (consistency information) of the transfer destination are set for each transfer destination candidate. When the transfer source transfers an incoming call, a transfer destination having sufficient communication capacity for transferring the incoming call is selected from the transfer destination candidates based on the communication capacity of the received call and the communication capacity of the transfer destination candidate. It is characterized in that the selected call is transferred to the selected transfer destination.

According to the first aspect of the invention, the communication device as the transfer source can detect the communication capability required by the call to be transferred when performing the call transfer. The transfer source is preset with the address information and communication capability of the transfer destination when the incoming call transfer is performed as the transfer source. One or a plurality of transfer destinations can be set. The transfer source determines whether or not there is a transfer destination that satisfies the communication capability required by the call to be transferred from the set transfer destination candidates. If there is a transfer destination that satisfies the communication capability required by the call to be transferred, the call is transferred to the transfer destination using the ISDN call transfer service. The caller can reliably perform communication regardless of whether the caller transfers the call.

The invention according to claim 2 uses a communication device connected to an integrated service digital network (ISDN),
A method of communication using an incoming call transfer service in ISDN, in which a transfer destination candidate is preset in a transfer source, and the transfer destination address information and communication capability (consistency information) are set for each transfer destination candidate. When the call is set by the transfer source and the call transfer is performed by the transfer source, the call transfer is sufficient based on the communication capability of the received call and the communication capability of the transfer destination candidate. A transfer destination having various communication capabilities is selected from the transfer destination candidates, the call is transferred to the selected transfer destination, and the call is transferred to the transfer destination candidates set in the transfer source. When there is no transfer destination having sufficient communication capability, the transfer source selects one transfer destination from the transfer destination candidates set as the transfer source, and the transfer source temporarily selects the transfer destination without using the call transfer service. The transfer source accumulates the communication contents and the accumulation ends. After that, the transfer source calls the selected transfer destination, converts the stored communication content according to the communication capability of the selected transfer destination, and converts the converted communication content into the selected transfer destination. The feature is that it is transmitted to.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, when the transfer destination having the communication capability requested by the received call does not exist among the transfer destination candidates, the transfer source receives the call from the source. Accept once. The transfer source communicates with the transmission source, receives communication data sent from the transmission source,
The data is stored in the memory provided in the transfer source. When the communication with the source is completed, the transfer source selects one transfer destination from the transfer destination candidates. The transfer source converts the stored communication data according to the communication capability of the selected transfer destination. By sending the converted communication data to the transfer destination, the communication data sent by the sender can be transferred to the transfer destination.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, the transfer source determines whether or not the transfer destination has responded when the call transfer is performed, and when the transfer destination is determined not to respond, the transfer source It is characterized in that the next transfer destination is selected from the transfer destination candidates set as the transfer source, and the incoming call is transferred again.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, when the call transfer cannot be successful due to the absence of the transfer destination user, the next transfer destination is selected and the call transfer is performed again. As a result, the information of the transfer destination set as the transfer source can be effectively used and the incoming call can be transferred reliably.

[0013]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

(First Embodiment of the Invention) FIG. 1 shows a communication apparatus 10 according to the present embodiment. This communication device 10 is IS
It is a facsimile machine connected to the DN network and can use the call transfer service provided by ISDN. That is,
The communication device 10 uses the service at three devices, that is, the transmission source that started the communication, the transfer source that is the destination specified by the transmission source, and the transfer destination that is preset as the transfer source. The communication device 10 has two information channels provided by ISDN and 1
Connected to one control channel.

The CPU 12 controls the entire communication device 10. A ROM 14 and a RAM (1) 16 are connected to the CPU 12. A program executed by the CPU 12 is stored in the ROM 12. Various information used by the program is temporarily stored in the RAM (1) 16.

The CPU 12 has an RTC (Real Time Clock)
18, a keyboard 20, and a liquid crystal display 22 are connected. The CPU 12 recognizes the present time from the clock built in the RTC 18. Also, the CPU 12 is the keyboard 20.
The operator's instruction can be recognized by detecting the state of, and various information can be displayed to the operator using the liquid crystal display 22.

The CPU 12 includes a scanner 24 and a RAM (3) 2.
6, printer 28, encoding / decoding device 30, RAM (2) 3
2. The ISDN interface 34 is connected. The encoding / decoding device 30 has an encoding function of encoding image information based on the standard of a facsimile device, and a decoding function of returning encoded image information to its original state. The CPU 12 can send control signals to the scanner 24, RAM (3) 26, printer 28, encoding / decoding device 30, RAM (2) 32, ISDN interface 34, and each device. The state of can be detected.

The scanner 24 and printer 28 are RAM (3) 26
It is connected to the. The scanner 24 reads the original document and outputs the read image information of the original document to the RAM (3) 26. The printer 28 prints the image information recorded in the RAM (3) 26. That is, image information is recorded in the RAM (3) 26. The image information read by the scanner 24 is the printer 28 as it is.
Then, the communication device 10 can be used as a copying machine.

The RAM (3) 26 is connected to the encoding / decoding device 30. The encoding / decoding device 30 is connected to the RAM (2) 32. Coded image information is recorded in the RAM (2) 32. The image information recorded in the RAM (3) 26 is encoded by using the encoding function of the encoding / decoding device 30, and the encoded image information is recorded in the RAM (2) 32. On the contrary, the coded image information recorded in the RAM (2) 32 is decoded using the decoding function of the coding / decoding device 30 and recorded in the RAM (3) 26.

The ISDN interface 34 is connected to the ISDN network and is connected to the RAM (2) 32. The ISDN interface 34 is controlled by the CPU 12 and sends the coded image information recorded in the RAM (2) 32 to the ISDN network.
Information sent from the ISDN network can be recorded in the RAM (2) 32.

In the RAM (2) 32, in addition to image information, a call setting message (hereinafter
Expressed as SETUP. ) Can be recorded. SETUP includes the transmission capability (hereinafter, BC), high layer compatibility (hereinafter, HLC), and low layer compatibility (LLC).
)It is included. The communication device 10 can determine the communication capability requested by the sender by using these pieces of information.

Here, the ROM 12 stores a program for using the call transfer service. In the call transfer service, a call from the caller to the communication device 10 (transfer source) is transferred to the transfer destination. The sender can communicate with the transfer destination.

The RAM (1) 16 of the communication device 10 stores a list of transfer destination candidates preset by the user. The user can set the number of the transfer destination, the communication capability of the transfer destination, and the priority of each transfer destination in the list of transfer destination candidates. For example, when a user uses the communication device 10 in an office, a transfer destination near the user's seat is given a high priority, and a transfer destination at a remote place is given a low priority, thereby making The movement can be reduced.

One or more transfer destination candidates can be registered. When the number of transfer destinations stored is one, the list of transfer destination candidates is set as shown in the example of FIG. RAM (1) 1
6, a transfer destination name, a transfer destination address, and a communication capability are stored. In addition, the communication device 10 is a telephone, G4, G3, G
2 Has communication capability of facsimile. When the communication device 10 transfers an incoming call as a transfer source, the communication capability of the user C is recognized from the list of FIG. User C calls and G3
Since the communication device 10 has a communication capability of / G2 facsimile, if the call received from the source by the communication device 10 is a telephone or G3 / G2 facsimile, the call received by using the ISDN call transfer service is directly transmitted from the communication device 10 to the user. Transfer to C. On the other hand, when the call received by the communication device 10 is the G4 facsimile, the call cannot be transferred from the transfer source to the user C by the ISDN call transfer service because the user C does not have the capability. In this case, the communication device 10 converts the communication data into the G3 facsimile standard, and the communication device 10 communicates with the user C using the G3 facsimile function.

When there are a plurality of transfer destinations stored, a list of transfer destination candidates is stored as shown in the example of FIG.
Each transfer destination is set in the list in the order of high priority. That is, the priorities are high in the order of users C, D, and E. When transferring a call from a transmission source, the communication device 10 selects a user having sufficient communication capability to transfer the received call from the users C to D, and uses the ISDN call transfer service. The call is transferred from the communication device 10 to the user. For example, when the call to be transferred is a G4 facsimile, it is transferred to the user E. If the call to be transferred is a telephone, user C,
Although D and E can be transferred, according to the priority order, the transfer is firstly performed to the user C, and when an error such as the transfer destination not responding occurs, the incoming call is transferred to the next user D.

If there is no transfer destination having a sufficient communication capability in the transfer destination candidate list, the communication device 10 stores the communication data as in the example of FIG. The user C having the highest priority is selected as a transfer destination, and the stored communication data is converted and transmitted according to the communication capability of the user C.

Next, the operation of the embodiment of the present invention will be described. (General Facsimile Communication) The CPU 12 sequentially reads out a preset program in the ROM 14 and controls all devices according to the program.

When the facsimile function of the communication device 10 is used as a transmitter, the document is read by the scanner 24 according to an instruction from the user of the communication device 10. The scanner 24 stores the image information of the read document in the RAM (3) 26. The accumulated image information is encoded / decoded by the encoding / decoding device 30.
Are encoded (compressed). The encoded image information is stored in the RAM (2) 32. The encoded image information stored in the RAM (2) 32 is transmitted to the ISDN network through the ISDN interface 34.

When the facsimile function of the communication device 10 is used as a receiver, the coded image information sent from the ISDN network passes through the ISDN interface 34.
It is stored in the RAM (2) 32. Next, the image information encoded by the encoding / decoding device 30 is decoded. The decoded image information is stored in the RAM (3) 26. The printer 28 reads out the image information stored in the RAM (3) 26,
Record on the specified paper. (Call Forwarding) Next, call forwarding of the communication device 10 will be described.

In the communication device 10, the user uses the keyboard 2
0, the display 22 is used to specify whether to transfer the call or not. When transferring an incoming call, the destination of the transfer destination and the communication capability are set by the user together with the priority order. The communication device 10 stores the transfer destination candidate list in the order of the priority order. The transfer destination can be set to one or more.

FIG. 4 shows a flowchart showing a part of the program recorded in the ROM 14 provided in the communication device 10. The CPU 12 of the communication device 10 starts the program shown in this flowchart when it receives a call setup message (SETUP) from the sender.

In step 100, the communication device 10 receives the SETUP from the transmission source and stores the contents of the SETUP in the RAM (2) 32.

In step 102, communication possibility confirmation is performed. The communication possibility confirmation means that the communication device 1 receives the received call.
0 is a confirmation of whether or not to accept. Communication device 10
Compares the called number information element and called sub address information element included in the received SETUP with the called number information element and called sub address information element of the communication device 10 itself, and accepts the incoming call only when they match. In addition, BC, HLC,
Based on the LLC, it is determined whether the communication capability of the communication device 10 has sufficient communication capability to accept the received call, and the incoming call can be made only when the communication capability is available. That is, the communication (including the call transfer) when the communication device 10 does not have the communication capability required by the received communication cannot be performed.

If the called party number element and the called party subaddress information element contained in SETUP match and the communication capability of the communication device 10 is sufficient, the communication possibility confirmation is affirmed, and step 1
Move to 04. In step 104, it is determined whether the communication device 10 is set to forward the call. If it is set not to forward the call, the determination is negative, and the process proceeds to step 105.

At step 105, the communication device 10 accepts the call and calls a normal incoming call, that is, a subroutine of FIG. 5 described later for the communication device 10 to communicate with the caller. When the process returns from the subroutine, the flowchart of FIG. 4 ends.

In step 104, if the communication device 10 is set to forward the incoming call, the determination is affirmative, and the process proceeds to step 106, in which the communication device 10 performs the incoming call forwarding process as the forwarding source. Hereinafter, the communication device 10 will be referred to as a transfer source.

In step 106, information on one transfer destination candidate is read from the transfer destination candidate list stored in advance in the transfer source. Regarding the order of reading, the candidate stored at the top of the list (the candidate having the highest priority) is first, and the order is read in the order of the list (order of priority). The transfer destination address and the communication capability are described in the transfer destination candidate information. Subsequently, in step 108, it is judged whether the read transfer destination candidate has the communication capability requested by the received call. If the determination is affirmative (there is communication capability), the process proceeds to step 109.

In step 109, the call transfer service provided by ISDN is used to transfer the call from the transfer source to the transfer destination. When the processing ends, the series of processing relating to the received call ends.

If the determination is denied (no communication capability), the process proceeds to step 110. In step 110, it is judged whether or not there are remaining candidates in the transfer destination candidate list.
If there are any remaining candidates, the determination is affirmative and the process returns to step 106 and the next candidate is examined. If there are no remaining candidates, it is determined that there is no transfer destination in the transfer destination candidate list that has sufficient communication capability to transfer the received call as it is, and the process proceeds to step 112.

In step 112, the call is temporarily accepted by the transfer source without being transferred. Communication is performed between the transmission source and the transfer source, and the transfer source transfers the communication data from the transmission source to the RAM (2) 32
To accumulate. After the accumulation is completed, the line between the transfer source and the transmission source is released.

In step 114, one transfer destination is determined from the transfer destination candidate list. In this embodiment, the transfer source determines the transfer destination (user C) registered at the head of the transfer destination candidate list as the transfer destination.

In step 116, the communication data stored in the RAM (2) 32 is decoded by the encoding / decoding device 30 and stored in the RAM (3) 26. The communication capability of the transfer destination is read from the information of the transfer destination candidate. Encoding / decoding device 3
0 encodes the data stored in the RAM (3) 26 according to the communication capability of the transfer destination and stores it in the RAM (2) 32. The transfer source calls the transfer destination and transfers the communication data stored in the RAM (2) 32.
It is transmitted to the transfer destination using the ISDN interface 34.
That is, the transfer source converts the received data according to the communication capability of the transfer destination.

FIG. 5 is a flow chart showing an example of a subroutine of a normal incoming call process. Step 10 in FIG.
5, the subroutine of FIG. 5 is called. At step 130, it is determined whether the received call is a facsimile communication. If the communication is facsimile communication, the determination is affirmative and the process proceeds to step 132.

At step 132, the communication data (encoded image data) from the transmission source is received and stored in the RAM (2) 32. Communication data stored in RAM (2) 32 is encoded /
It is decrypted by the decryption device 30 and stored in the RAM (3) 26. When all the communication data have been received, the line is opened to end the communication, and the process proceeds to step 134.

In step 134, the printer 22 has the RAM (3)
The image data stored in 26 is read out, recorded on a predetermined sheet, a series of processing relating to the incoming call is terminated, and the process returns to the main routine (flowchart in FIG. 4).

If the determination in step 130 is negative,
It is determined that the received call is a telephone call, and the process proceeds to step 136. In step 136, the call is processed. Call processing refers to transmission and reception of voice data.

In step 138, it is determined whether the call has ended. If the call has not ended, the determination is negative and the process returns to step 136. If either the sender or the communication device 10 places a receiver (not shown), the determination is affirmative and the process returns to the main routine.

In the communication method according to the embodiment of the present invention, the facsimile apparatus is described.
The present invention can be applied to all communication terminals connected to a network and capable of communication.

When the transfer source determines the transfer destination, the transfer destination candidate list set as the transfer source has the highest priority, but the information contained in the SETUP received by the transfer source is the highest. The priority may be changed for each incoming call.

When the call cannot be transferred because the response from the transfer destination is not obtained, it is possible to select another transfer destination from the transfer destination candidate list and try the call transfer again.

When a plurality of transfer destinations are set as the transfer source, and there is no transfer destination having sufficient communication capability, the transfer source selects the transfer destination at the top of the transfer destination candidate list and communicates with the transfer destination. Transfers are made according to the ability. However, it is also possible for the transfer source to select the transfer destination having the communication capability closest to the communication capability requested by the transmission source.

[0051]

As described above, the communication method according to the present invention transfers the call to the transfer destination when the communication capabilities of the transfer destinations match, and when the communication capabilities of the transfer destinations do not match,
By the transfer source converting and transferring the communication data so that the communication capacities are matched, it is possible to reliably transfer the incoming call. Further, when the call transfer is not successful, the call transfer can be surely performed by selecting another transfer destination.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a communication device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a table showing an example in which one transfer destination candidate is set as a transfer source according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a table showing an example in which a plurality of transfer destination candidates are set in a transfer source according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a process in which a transfer source determines a transfer destination from a list of transfer destination candidates and transfers a call according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a process in which a transfer source does not transfer an incoming call but accepts a call by itself according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10 communication device 12 CPU 14 ROM 16 RAM (1) 20 keyboard 22 liquid crystal display 24 scanner 26 RAM (3) 28 printer 30 encoding / decoding device 32 RAM (2) 34 ISDN interface

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A communication method for using a call transfer service in this ISDN by using a communication device connected to an integrated service digital network (ISDN), wherein a transfer destination candidate is preset in a transfer source, Address information and communication capability (consistency information) of the transfer destination are set for each of the transfer destination candidates, and the received call is transferred when the transfer source transfers the call received by the transfer source. Based on the communication capability of the transfer destination and the transfer capability of the transfer destination candidate, a transfer destination having a communication capability sufficient to perform the call transfer is selected from the transfer destination candidates, and the call transfer is performed to the selected transfer destination. A communication method characterized by performing. 2. A communication method for using a call transfer service in this ISDN by using a communication device connected to an integrated service digital network (ISDN), wherein a transfer destination candidate is preset in the transfer source. Address information and communication capability (consistency information) of the transfer destination are set for each of the transfer destination candidates, and the received call is transferred when the transfer source transfers the call received by the transfer source. Based on the communication capability of the transfer destination and the transfer capability of the transfer destination candidate, a transfer destination having a communication capability sufficient to perform the call transfer is selected from the transfer destination candidates, and the call transfer is performed to the selected transfer destination. If there is no transfer destination that has sufficient communication capability to transfer the incoming call among the transfer destination candidates set as the transfer source, the transfer destination candidate set as the transfer source is selected. Select one transfer destination, The sender temporarily stores the communication contents at the transfer source without using the call transfer service, and after the storage is completed, the transfer source calls the selected transfer destination, and the communication capability of the selected transfer destination A communication method comprising: converting the stored communication contents in accordance with the above, and transmitting the converted communication contents to the selected transfer destination. 3. The transfer source determines whether or not the transfer destination responds when transferring the call, and when the transfer destination is determined not to respond, the transfer source is the transfer set as the transfer source. The communication method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the next transfer destination is selected from the previous candidates, and the call transfer is performed again.