FR2843665A1 - DIGITAL CLOSED NETWORK CONSTRUCTED FROM A TELEPHONE CENTRAL AND A KEY TELEPHONE SYSTEM AND SIGNAL TRANSMISSION METHOD OF THE DIGITAL CLOSED NETWORK - Google Patents

Abstract

A digital closed network is constructed from a central office (10) and a plurality of telephones (20), each telephone (20) further being adapted to be connected to a network device (30), such as 'a computer, a hub, a network printer, etc. On the closed network, data and video information are transmitted in the form of packets. Further, communication voice signals are converted into the form of voice packets by the telephones (20), whereby higher transmission quality is obtained. In addition, the transmission priority between voice, data, and video packets can be controlled in the closed network, whereby if there is a large amount of packets being transmitted, the voice packets still have high real-time transmissions.

Description

i

  DIGITAL CLOSED NETWORK CONSTRUCTED FROM A TELEPHONE CENTRAL AND A KEY TELEPHONE SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR TRANSMITTING SIGNALS FROM THE CLOSED NETWORK

DIGITAL

  The present invention relates to a digital closed network constructed from a telephone exchange and a key telephone system (KTS-Key Telephone System) and to the method of transmitting signals from the digital closed network, and more particularly to a closed digital network which provides voice, data and video transmission functions and

  maintains superior communication quality.

  Since Voice over Internet Protocol 15 VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) has the advantage of a lower communication cost compared to the conventional telephone system and has the ability to integrate data, more and more companies use VoIP as a means of communication. Based on established VoIP 20, the enterprise can simultaneously transmit voice, data and video signals over the single IP platform. As a result, not only is the network processing process simplified, but the total cost is reduced. Referring to Figure 4, 25 it can be seen that a local area network (LAN) integrated with a central office system is composed mainly of concentrators (hubs) 70, computers 71 and d a telephone exchange 72, the concentrator 70 being further connected to extensions 73. As shown in FIG. 5, a concentrator 70 is connected to a plurality of computers 71, certain specific computers 71 being respectively connected

  at telephone exchange 72 and extension 73.

  In the network architecture mentioned above, the extension 73 occupies only part of the bandwidth (for example 4K) for the transmission of voice signals. However, whether it is a conventional Internet Protocol (IP) network or the LAN, the data signal (data packet) is the main transmission object. The objective of the network architecture configuration still focuses on improving reliability, that is, to make the data packet have the highest transmission priority during the transmission process. Under such a condition, when a large amount of data is transmitted between these computers 71, the serious problems of delay in voice signal transmission and "jitter" arise accordingly. However, for a voice signal, the most essential requirement is immediate transmission (i.e. real-time transmission). Therefore, the poor quality of

transmission is evident.

  Since the conventional network configuration is incapable of solving the problem of delay in signal transmission, a temporary way to improve the quality of transmission of voice signals and to alleviate the problem is to use a large width of bandaged. However, when a large amount of data has to be transmitted, this data still causes voices to lag and such a temporary solution is

  unable to completely solve the problem.

  To overcome the drawbacks, a digital closed network according to the present invention overcomes or

  alleviates the problems mentioned above.

  The main objective of the present invention is to provide a digital closed network which is constructed from a telephone exchange, a telephone button system (KTS) and computers for transmitting voice, data and video, and still keep a

  superior voice transmission quality.

  To achieve this objective, the transmission method for the network of the present invention employs a telephone as a node for connection to the

  network devices, such as a personal computer or a telephone exchange, to form a closed network.

  The phone not only processes data and video packets, but also has the ability to convert 5 signals in order to convert voice signals into the form of

  voice packets. Since the voice signals are transmitted in the form of voice packets over the network, the influence caused by the large amount of data packets and video packets is capable of being eliminated and the quality of transmission is improved.

  The telephone further has the priority setting function to decide the priority of transmission between voice packets and other types of packets. When the voice packets are established with the highest priority, the real-time transmission requirement for the voice packets is able to be obtained, while the data and video packets still retain

good reliability.

  The network architecture of the present invention comprises: - at least one private branch exchange exchange (PBX) connected to a plurality of main lines or dedicated lines, a packet processing unit for converting voice signals into the form of voice packets being arranged inside the PBX; a plurality of telephones connected to the PBX so as to build a closed network architecture for the transmission of voice, data and video; and - a plurality of network devices, such as computers, network printers, hubs

  etc ... connected respectively to telephones.

  Each telephone further includes: - a controller with a two-way conversion function, the controller being capable of converting voice signals to the form of voice packets and being capable of restoring voice packets to voice signals - a handset for receiving voice signals from a user and then transmit the received signals to the controller, or transmit voice signals from the controller; a first network connection interface, connecting between the controller and the network device; and - a second network connection interface,

  connecting between the controller and the PBX.

  In the previous network architecture, voice, data or video packets are able to be transmitted between network devices via the plurality of telephones. In addition, these packets are capable of being transmitted to an external network via the PBX. Since voice is transmitted as voice packets, the requirements for real-time voice transmission and high reliability data / video packet transmission are all

two satisfied.

  The present invention therefore firstly relates to a method of transmitting signals from a closed network 25 constructed from at least one telephone exchange and from a telephone system with keys which is composed of a plurality of telephones, the method being characterized in that it comprises the steps consisting in: - connecting each telephone to the telephone exchange; - use each telephone as a node for connection to a network device so as to form the closed network for the transmission of voice, data and video; and converting the voices received from a first of the plurality of telephones to the form of voice packets; - forward the voice packets to a second of the plurality of telephones, the second of the plurality of telephones converting and transmitting the packets

  voice signals in the form of voice signals.

  The method according to the invention can also comprise a step of establishing the transmission priority, the voice packets being established to have the highest transmission priority by the setting.

of the phone.

  The telephone exchange may further have the two-way conversion function, the telephone exchange being capable of converting external voice signals to the form of voice packets or of restoring the

  voice packets into voice signals.

  The present invention also relates to a digital closed network, characterized in that it comprises: - at least one telephone exchange connected to a plurality of main / dedicated lines, the telephone exchange having a function of conversion and restoration of voice packets; - multiple telephones connected to the telephone exchange to form the closed network, whereby voice, data and video are capable of being transmitted over the closed network; and multiple network devices, each network device being connected to one of the multiple phones to communicate with the

telephone center.

  Said digital closed network can be such that each telephone further comprises: a controller having the function of two-way conversion, the controller being capable of converting voice signals into the form of voice packets and being able to restore the voice packets in voice signals; - a handset transmitting received voice signals to the controller, the handset being capable of outputting voice signals from the controller; a first network connection interface, connecting between the controller and one of the network devices; and a second network connection interface, connecting between the controller and the telephone exchange. The telephone exchange may include a packet processing unit arranged between the plurality of main lines and a connection interface, the connection interface being intended for connection with

  the second network connection interface.

  The first network connection interface can be connected to the network device via a network interface card installed in the device

network.

  Each telephone can further comprise a bridge 20 connected between a first network connection interface and the second network connection interface for

  control the transmission rate.

  The controller can also connect to a

  display unit, keyboard and image capture device.

  Network devices are chosen in particular from a group consisting of a computer, a hub, a network printer or a fax machine. To better illustrate the object of the present invention, an embodiment will be described below with reference to the appended drawing, in which: - Figure 1 is a functional block diagram 35 of a digital closed network configuration according to the present invention; - Figures 2A-2C are schematic topologies showing a PBX network (private telephone installation) connected to a plurality of telephones in accordance with the present invention; - Figure 3 is a schematic view showing a preferred embodiment of a closed network according to the present invention; - Figure 4 is a functional block diagram of a conventional network configuration; and - Figure 5 is another block diagram

  functional of a conventional network configuration.

  Referring to Figure 1, it can be seen that a closed network according to the present invention comprises at least one telephone exchange 10 (private telephone system, PBX), a telephone system with keys (KTS) composed of '' a plurality of telephones 20 and

network devices 30.

  The PBX 10 connected to a plurality of main lines or dedicated lines (for example XDSL) 25 has a packet processing unit 11 for two-way conversion, that is to say to convert the external voice signals into the form of voice packets or

  to restore voice packets to voice signals.

  The different telephones 20 are able to be connected to the PBX 10 with different topologies (as shown in Figures 2A-2C) so as to build a closed network for the transmission of voice, data and video. Network devices 30, such as personal computers (which is given as an example in this embodiment), network printers, hubs or facsimile machines, etc. are respectively connected to telephones 20 for the purpose of a

  communication with the closed network.

  Each telephone 20 further comprises: - a controller 21 having the two-way conversion function, the controller 21 being capable of converting voice signals into the form of voice packets, and being capable of restoring the voice packets into voice signals; a handset 22 for receiving voice signals from the user and then transmitting them to the controller 21 or transmitting an output of voice signals from the controller 21; a first interface 23 for connection to the network connecting between the controller 21 and the network device 30, the first interface 23 for connection to the network being suitable for connection with a network interface card installed in the network device 30 ; - a second network connection interface 24 connecting between the controller 21 and the PBX 10; a keyboard 25 connected to the input terminals of the controller 21 for using the numbering or the setting of the parameters; a display device 26 connected to the output terminal of the controller 21 in order to display messages or video images; and an image capture device 27, such as a CCD camera (charge coupled device), connected to the input terminal of the controller 21 for the use of image capture. image, the captured images are then processed to become the form of video packets by

  the controller 21 for a new transmission.

  Each telephone 20 further comprises a bridge 28 linked between the first network connection interface 23 and the second network connection interface 24 to perform control of the transmission rate of the closed network. The PBX 10 also has a connection interface 5 12 which not only connects to the packet processing unit 11, but also connects to the second interface

  24 connection to the network of each telephone 20.

  From the previous description of

  network architecture, different phones 20 not 10 only build the closed network in association with

  PBX 10, but each telephone 20 is also used as an intermediate node which allows the personal computer, the hub or the network printer, etc.

  to communicate with the closed network (as shown in Figure 3).

  A special point that needs to be emphasized is that, when the voice signal is in communication over the closed network, the network will provide superior transmission quality. For example, if a telephone 20 is used as a transmitter (the voice source), the input voice from the handset 22 is converted into voice packets by the controller 21 and then transmitted over the closed network. After another telephone 20, which acts as a voice receiver, has received and converted the voice packet into a voice signal by the controller 21, the voice signal is then transmitted via the handset 22. Since the voice is transmitted in the form of voice packets, the problems of transmission delay and hopping are therefore overcome. In addition, by controlling the controller 21 and the bridge 28 to appropriately establish the transmission priority between the voice packets, the data packets and the video packets, the transmission quality is capable of being further improved. In other words, due to the controllable transmission rate in the closed network, the

  Real-time voice transmission is ensured.

  In conclusion, the particular network architecture of the present invention in conjunction with the telephone system having a packet conversion capability and a bridge function collectively provides immediate voice transmission, the problems of delay and hopping being avoided. In addition, the network architecture of the present invention also satisfies the data transmission protocol (IEEE 802.3) to ensure that the data / video packets are correctly transmitted between all the nodes of the network. In other words, the present invention still retains the reliability

  high for data / video transmission.

  The present invention may be varied in a variety of ways, made by one of skill in the art. Such variations are not considered to be a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention, and all of these modifications are intended to be included in the scope of the definitions.

appended claims.

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Claims (7)

RESELL I CATIONS   1 - Method for transmitting signals from a closed network constructed from at least one telephone exchange (10) and from a key telephone system which is composed of a plurality of telephones (20), the method being characterized by the fact that it comprises the steps consisting in: connecting each telephone (20) to the telephone exchange (10); - using each telephone (20) as a node for connection to a network device (30) so as to form the closed network for the transmission of voice, data and video; and - converting the voices received from a first of the plurality of telephones (20) into the form of voice packets; - transmitting the voice packets to a second of the plurality of telephones (20), the second of the plurality of telephones (20) converting and transmitting the voice packets into the form of voice signals. 2 - Method according to claim 1, characterized in that it further comprises a step of establishing transmission priority, the voice packets being established to have transmission priority   highest by setting the telephone (20).   3 - Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the telephone exchange (10) also has the two-way conversion function, the telephone exchange (20) being capable of converting the external voice signals into packet form voice or   restore voice packets to voice signals.   4 - Digital closed network, characterized in that it comprises: at least one telephone exchange (10) connected to a plurality of main / dedicated lines, the telephone exchange (10) having a packet conversion and restoration function voice; - multiple telephones (20) connected to the telephone exchange (10) to form the closed network, whereby voice, data and video are capable of being transmitted over the closed network; and - multiple network devices (30), each network device (30) being connected to one of the multiple telephones to communicate with the telephone exchange (10).   - Digital closed network according to claim 4, characterized in that each telephone (20) 15 further comprises: - a controller (21) having the two-way conversion function, the controller (21) being capable of converting signals voice packets in the form of voice packets and being capable of restoring voice packets to voice signals; a handset (22) transmitting received voice signals to the controller (21), the handset (22) being capable of outputting voice signals from the controller (21); - a first network connection interface (23), connecting between the controller (21) and one of the network devices (30); and - a second interface (24) for connection to the network,   connecting between the controller (21) and the telephone exchange (10).   6 - Digital closed network according to claim, characterized in that the telephone exchange comprises a packet processing unit (11), disposed between the plurality of main lines and a connection interface (12), the connection interface (12) being suitable for connection with the second connection interface (24) to the network.   7 - Digital closed network according to claim, characterized in that the first interface (24) 5 for connection to the network is connected to the network device (30) via an interface card   network installed in the network device (30).   8 - Digital closed network according to claim, characterized in that each telephone (20) 10 further comprises a bridge (28) connected between a first interface (23) for connection to the network and the second interface (24) for connection to the network to control the transmission rate.   9 - digital closed network according to claim 15 5, characterized in that the controller (21) is also connected to a display unit (26), a keyboard   (25) and an image capture device (27).   - Digital closed network according to claim 4, characterized in that the 20 network devices (30) are chosen from a group consisting of a computer, a concentrator, a   network printer or fax machine.