JPH0636531B2 - Conference phone system - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention The present invention is to sequentially call each of the conference callees with a special ringing tone indicating that it is a conference call, and to be connected to a conference trunk. The present invention relates to a conference call system in which a new subscriber can be connected to a conference trunk as a new conference callee even during a conference call.

[Background of the Invention]

As a conference call method for calling a conference by a specific dial from a subscriber involved in the conference call, there is a method described in JP-A-57-147367. In this conventional example, the relay stand is directly called by a specific dial, and the attendees of the conference are called from the relay stand, and after the response, the convenees are sequentially switched manually to call the convener and convener. Make a connection with. As a result, the convener and the convenee are in the conference state, that is, the multi-party call state. However, in this conventional example, a large amount of time is required until the connection is completed because the operator of the relay stand is involved in the connection to the multi-party call state.
There was such a problem. In addition to such a problem, since the call to each convened person at the time of convening a meeting was made only with a normal ringing tone, each convened person often neglected the call. Conference calls are often impossible to make. Furthermore, during the conference call, it was impossible to change the convened person, especially for a new convened person to participate in the conference call.

[Object of the Invention]

The object of the present invention is not only to promptly convene a convened person when a conference call is made by a specific dial operation from the convened subscriber, but also to each convened subscriber with sufficient caution when convening. Is evoked and can respond to the call to the conference, and, while allowing the new convened subscriber to join the conference call from the middle of the conference call,
There is a conference call system that can make a conference call.

[Outline of Invention]

For the above-mentioned purpose, the present invention provides that when a conference convening subscriber performs a conference convocation specific dial operation, the conference convening subscriber is connected to the conference trunk by the conference convening subscriber. Based on the pre-registered telephone number, the conference callees who are sequentially called up with a special ringing tone indicating that it is a conference call are connected to the conference trunk, and the conference call is connected to the conference trunk. While a conference call is being made between the subscriber and the conference convened subscriber, a new subscriber is called by dialing operation following the hooking operation by the conference convened subscriber, and the subscriber's consent is confirmed. By the re-hooking operation after being obtained, the subscriber can be connected to the conference trunk as a new conference callee. That.

Example of Invention

 The present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2.

FIG. 1 is a configuration of an exchange that accommodates a conference trunk according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of table access.

In FIG. 1, the central processing unit (CPU) 1 is
Manage. The main memory (MM) 2 stores operation software of the CPU 1 and various data for control / management. The CPU 1 and the MM 2 communicate with each other via the bus 10.
The signal transmission / reception device (SRD) 3 functions as an interface connecting the switch network 4 (and the CFT 5) and the bus 10.

The switch network 4 is controlled by the CPU 1 and performs circuit switching connection. The trunk 5 is a multi-party conference trunk and has a function of supplying and monitoring a call current of multi-party call.

The subscriber telephones 6A, 6B, 6D, ..., 6N are subscribers for multi-party calling, the subscriber telephone 6A is a subscriber involved in convening a conference, and the subscriber telephones 6B to 6N are subscribers involved in a conference invitation. is there. Further, the ring back tone (RBT) 7 is the sound source of the ring back tone for return, and the ring tone generator (RG) 8B.
8N is a calling sound source.

The operation will be described.

First, when the subscriber telephone 6A transmits a specific dial assigned for convening a conference, the CPU 1 detects this via the SRD 3 and sets up a communication path in the switch network 4 to set the subscriber telephone 6A to the conference trunk 5. Connect to caller terminal A.

Next, the CPU searches the subscriber telephones 6B to 6N registered in advance as the conference attendees by the subscriber telephone 6A. This search follows the procedure of FIG.

In FIG. 2, CFTLST is a registration table registered for conference calls, and has a plurality of indexes INDEX2 to 2.
It consists of INDEXm. Each index INDEXi
Stores the number of the attendee's subscriber telephone set registered as the conference attendee. Now the index INDEX
If the convened party subscriber number from the convener's subscriber telephone set 6A is registered in No. 3, 6B to 6 are stored in INDEX3.
This means that the N number is registered. Each index 2 is stored in the index address table CFTLSTH.
The leading addresses # A2 to #Am of ~ m are registered. The pointer CFTLSTP specifies the address of the index address table CFTLSTH. This pointer C
FTLSTP is obtained from the convocation data from the subscriber 6A who is the convener.

With such a configuration, according to FIG. 2, when the subscriber 6A who is the convener calls a conference call, the subscriber 6A operates a specific dial. From this specific dial, the CPU 1 sends the pointer LFT
# A1 is obtained as the LSTP. The address table CFTLSTH is searched based on this # A1 to obtain # A3. Since # A3 designates the head address of the index INDEX3, the index INDEX3 is searched. Since the numbers of the convened subscribers 6B to 6N are registered (DN0 to DNn) in the INDEX 3, the registration numbers are sequentially read. From this registration number, the CPU 1 selects the convened subscribers 6B to 6N corresponding to the registration number and sends out the ringing tone. This ring tone is sent
This is performed by driving the ring tone generators 8B to 6N. On the other hand, for subscriber 6A who is the convener,
The RBT7 is also connected to the terminal T of the FT5 and the ringback tone indicating that the call is being made is sent.

Each convened subscriber 6B receives the ringing tone of RG 8B-8N.
If ~ 6N is not incapable of responding (absence or busy), a normal response is given. The subscriber who responds to the call is sent to the attendee terminals B to N of the conference trunk 5 via the switch network 4.
Will be connected to. At this time, ringing tone from RBT7 and C
Conference attendee 6B responding by disconnecting FT5
~ 6N and the conference convener 6A can talk via the CFT 5.

Next, registration / deletion / change of meeting convenees will be described.

When a convener calls to register a convenee, the specific dial and conference trunk terminal number (01
~ 99), dial the telephone number of the meeting invitee in succession. The CPU 1 detects the specific dial operation for registering the conference attendee of the conference convener by the same method as the specific dial signal for convening the conference, and sets # A1 as the value of the pointer CFTLSTP from the conference convocation data shown in FIG. Seeking,
The address # A3 of the CFTLST in which the telephone number of the convenee is stored is obtained from the CFTLSTH using the address # A1 as an address. Further, CFTLST is indexed by the dialed conference trunk terminal number and the dialed conference invitee telephone number is stored. Thus, it was possible to register the callees of the meeting by using the specific dial of the callees of the meeting.

When making a change, it is possible to re-register the data on the already-registered data by the above-mentioned method. Regarding deletion, by setting the telephone number of the conference attendee as a specific number (for example, 0000) assigned for the deletion, the CPU 1 identifies the deletion and initializes the telephone number of the conference attendee. Can be deleted.

Next, a case will be described in which the conference convenee cannot be connected due to busy or the like, or when the unregistered subscriber wants to participate in the conference.

When the convener calls the subscriber's telephone 6A during the conference, the CPU 1 puts the convened subscriber 6A into a dial reception state and sends a dial tone to the convened subscriber 6A. Then, when the conference convening subscriber 6A dials the telephone number of the conference convenee who wants to call, the conference convening subscriber 6A and the dialed conference convener are connected via the switch network 4. The meeting convener responds,
When the convener calls the subscriber's telephone 6A after receiving the contact message from the convener 6A.
The CPU 1 releases the switch network between the conference convener subscriber 6A and the conference convenee, and the conference convener subscriber 6A is released.
A is connected to the terminal A of the CFT5, and the subscriber of the conference convenee is connected to the vacant terminals of the CFT5B to N through the switch network. Thus, C
Meeting convenees will be added to the FT.

Although the RGs 8B to 8N are normal ring tone generators, if a generator dedicated to the conference call is provided, it is easily known that the RG8B to 8N is a conference call tone in a state where it is distinguished from a normal ring tone. Moreover, it is possible to promptly take measures to participate in the conference call.

〔The invention's effect〕

As described above, according to the present invention, when the conference call is made by the specific dial operation from the conference convening subscriber, the conference call can be promptly started.
Each of the convened subscribers can respond to the call to the conference call with sufficient attention, and the conference call can be made while the new convened subscriber is allowed to join the conference call during the conference call. It can be done.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of an exchange that accommodates a conference trunk according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 is an example of a search of an index table. 1 ... Central processing unit (CPU), 2 ... Main memory (MM),
3 ... Transceiver circuit (SRD), 4 ... Switch network (SW), 5 ... Conference trunk (CFT), 6A to 6N ...
Conference telephone subscriber (telephone).

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. The conference convening subscriber after the telephone numbers of the conference convening subscribers are registered in advance in the exchange so that the telephone numbers of the conference convening subscribers can be updated at any time by a specific dial operation for the conference convening subscriber registration. When a specific dial operation for convening a conference is performed at any time by the, the conference convening subscriber is connected to the conference trunk via the switch network, and until each conference convened subscriber is connected to the conference trunk. During the period, a ringing tone is sent to the conference convening subscriber through the conference trunk, and a special call indicating that the conference is convocation based on the telephone number registered in advance by the conference convening subscriber. The conference attendees who are sequentially called by sound are connected to the conference trunk via the switch network. While the conference call is being made between the conference convening subscriber and the conference convened subscriber connected to the rank, the conference convening subscriber is connected to the conference trunk by the hooking operation by the conference convening subscriber. , Until a re-hooking operation is performed, a new subscriber is called by a dial operation subsequent to the hooking operation, and the re-hooking operation is performed after the subscriber's consent is obtained. A conference telephone system in which a subscriber can be connected to the above-mentioned conference trunk through a switch network as a new conference convened subscriber.