Abstract:
In nurse call systems where communication between a plurality of slave units and a plurality of extension terminals is possible, a nurse call controller serving the slave units and a private branch exchange serving the mobile terminals have been connected to each other through a nurse call adaptor; thus, there is a need for one such nurse call system that does not require a nurse call adaptor. Provided is an interface unit which is connected to a nurse call controller through a plurality of ISND basic interfaces, connected to a private branch exchange through an ISDN primary rate interface, and performs interface conversion therebetween.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to a nurse call system, an interface unit, and a nurse call connection method. 
       BACKGROUND ART 
       [0002]    In hospitals, care facilities, and the like, a nurse call system that enables a patient and a nurse (a person to be cared and a caregiver in the care facilities, and the like) to talk is installed. Such a nurse call system is a system in which a nurse call device and a private branch exchange (PBX or key telephone main device) are operated in cooperation with each other, and has a configuration in which a nurse call master unit accommodates nurse call slave units allocated to respective patients (or bets) in patients rooms, nurses carry mobile terminals (personal handy-phone system (PHS) terminals, personal access system (PAS) terminals, or the like, hereinafter, referred to as PHS terminals) serving as extension terminals of the private branch exchange, and the mobile terminals are accommodated in the private branch exchange through a wireless line. 
         [0003]    When a patient calls a nurse, the nurse call slave unit calls an extension number of the PHS terminal, and the nurse call master unit calls the PHS terminal through the private branch exchange, and the patient can talk with the nurse. Further, in an opposite way, the nurse can call the nurse call slave unit of the patient and can talk with the patient. Further, from a viewpoint of team nursing, the nurse call system is a system that can call the PHS terminals of a plurality of nurses belonging to one team so as to call the nurses in one floor who are in charge of the patient. 
         [0004]    An example of such a nurse call system is illustrated in  FIG. 6 . The nurse call system includes a nurse call controller  20  that accommodates a plurality of nurse call slave units  10  (a slave unit  1 , a slave unit  2 , a slave unit  3 , and a slave unit  4 , . . . ), a private branch exchange (PBX)  40  that accommodates a plurality of PHS terminals  50  (a PHS  51 - 1 , a PHS  51 - 2 , a PHS  51 - 3 , and a PHS  51 - 4 , . . . ) through a wireless line, and a nurse call adaptor  32  lying between the nurse call controller  20  and the private branch exchange  40  and which converts an interface between them. Here, the nurse call controller  20  represents a part of functions, the function concerning communication control of a nurse call master unit that accommodates the plurality of nurse call slave units  10 , and configures a part of the nurse call master unit. 
         [0005]    Connection from the nurse call controller  20  to the private branch exchange  40  through the nurse call adaptor  32  according to this configuration will be described. As illustrated in  FIG. 7 , the nurse call adaptor  32  realizes the connection by connecting the nurse call controller  20  to an analog line unit  43  accommodated in the private branch exchange  40 . The nurse call adaptor  32  relays two lines four speech paths (channels) included in the nurse call controller  20  to eight lines eight speech paths furnished by the analog line unit  43 . That is, the nurse call adaptor  32  converts four data channels (B channels) of 2(2B+D) of ISDN basic interfaces of the nurse call controller  20  into analog lines, and connects the analog lines to the analog line unit  43  of the private branch exchange  40 . 
         [0006]    Accordingly, as illustrated in  FIG. 7 , a channel  1  of the nurse call controller  20  is converted into the analog line in the nurse call adaptor  32  and is accommodated in a channel  1  of the analog line unit  43  of the private branch exchange  40 , and the channel  1  is connected to a channel  1  of the private branch exchange  40 . Therefore, the PHS terminal  50  corresponding to an extension telephone of the private branch exchange  40  and the nurse call slave unit  10  can be connected through the channel  1 . 
       CITATION LIST 
     Non Patent Literature 
     {NPL 1} 
       [0007]    Guideline regarding connection between nurse call and housing complex intercom, and PBX 2002.09.25 
       SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
     Technical Problem 
       [0008]    However, the nurse call adaptor is configured as a nurse call system dedicated device and is expensive, and its introduction is difficult. Therefore, an alternative to the nurse call adaptor has been desired. Further, a technology that enables connection between the nurse call controller and the private branch exchange without changing central control devices (CPUs) of the nurse call controller and the private branch exchange and without substantially changing software has been sought. 
         [0009]    An objective of the present invention is to provide a nurse call system and a private branch exchange that enable connection with a nurse call controller without using a nurse call adaptor and without changing a conventional nurse call controller, and a control circuit and software of the private branch exchange. 
       Solution to Problem 
       [0010]    In order to solve the problem, a first aspect of the present invention is a nurse call system for forming a speech path among a plurality of slave units and a plurality of extension terminals to conduct a call, including: a nurse call controller accommodating a plurality of slave units; a private branch exchange accommodating a plurality of extension terminals; and an interface unit provided between the nurse call controller and the private branch exchange, connected with the nurse call controller through a plurality of ISDN basic interfaces, and connected with the private branch exchange through an ISDN primary rate interface. 
         [0011]    Another aspect of the present invention is an interface unit, which is configured to be used in a nurse call system for forming a speech path among a plurality of slave units and a plurality of extension terminals to conduct a call, including a nurse call controller accommodating a plurality of slave units and a private branch exchange accommodating a plurality of extension terminals, and provided between the nurse call controller and the private branch exchange, connected with the nurse call controller through a plurality of ISDN basic interfaces, and connected with the private branch exchange through an ISDN primary rate interface. 
         [0012]    Another aspect of the present invention is a nurse call connection method of a nurse call system including a nurse call controller accommodating a plurality of slave units and a private branch exchange accommodating a plurality of extension terminals, for forming a speech path among the plurality of slave units and the plurality of extension terminals to conduct a call, the method including: providing, between the nurse call controller and the private branch exchange, an interface unit that performs interface conversion; and connecting, by the interface unit, the nurse call controller and the interface unit through a plurality of ISDN basic interfaces, and the private branch exchange and the interface unit through an ISDN primary rate interface. 
       Advantageous Effects of Invention 
       [0013]    According to the present invention, the nurse call controller and the private branch exchange are connected through an ISDN basic interface and an ISDN primary rate interface, and therefore the connection can be made without changing hardware and software. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         [0014]      FIG. 1  is a diagram illustrating a configuration of an embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0015]      FIG. 2  is a diagram for describing nurse call connection using a nurse call dedicated unit of the embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0016]      FIG. 3  is a diagram for describing channel allocation of the nurse call dedicated unit of the embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0017]      FIG. 4  is a diagram for describing connection of the embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0018]      FIG. 5  is a diagram for describing connection used by all of channels of the embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0019]      FIG. 6  is a diagram illustrating a nurse call system using a conventional nurse call adaptor. 
           [0020]      FIG. 7  is a diagram for describing connection using a conventional nurse call adaptor. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS 
       [0021]    Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. 
         [0022]      FIG. 1  is a diagram illustrating an overall configuration of a nurse call system according to the present embodiment. The nurse call system of the present embodiment includes a nurse call controller  20  that accommodates a plurality of nurse call slave units  10  (a slave unit  1 , a slave unit  2 , a slave unit  3 , and a slave unit  4 , . . . ), a private branch exchange (PBX)  40 , a plurality of PHS terminals  50  (a PHS  51 - 1 , a PHS  51 - 2 , a PHS  51 - 3 , and a PHS  51 - 4 , . . . ) that are extension terminals of the private branch exchange  40 , are accommodated in the private branch exchange  40 , and are carried by nurses (caregivers, or the like), and a nurse call dedicated unit  31  between the nurse call controller  20  and the private branch exchange  40 , as means to convert an interface. 
         [0023]    The nurse call slave unit  10  is installed for each patient (or in each bed) and has various buttons and call functions, and can call a nurse center or a nurse by an operation of the buttons or the like. The nurse call controller  20  represents a portion concerning control of communication and the like, of a nurse call master unit that accommodates the nurse call slave units, as described above, and has control functions such as call control of a nurse call and communication control. 
         [0024]    The private branch exchange  40  is configured to have an exchange function between extensions, and between an extension and an outside line, and functions as a key telephone main device. Further, the private branch exchange  40  accommodates the plurality of PHS terminals  50  as mobile terminals through a wireless line, and performs exchange control of communication to the PHS terminals  50 . Further, the private branch exchange  40  is connected with the nurse call controller  20 , and performs control of a call of the PHS terminal  50  by a nurse call, a call of the nurse call slave unit  10  from the PHS terminal  50 , and the like. 
         [0025]    The nurse call dedicated unit  31  lies between the nurse call controller  20  and the private branch exchange  40 , and performs interface conversion. That is, an interface of the nurse call dedicated unit  31  serves as an ISDN basic interface for the nurse call controller  20 , and serves as an ISDN primary rate interface for the private branch exchange  40 . Note that, in  FIG. 1 , the nurse call dedicated unit  31  is provided in the private branch exchange  40 . However, the place of installation is not limited as long as the nurse call dedicated unit  31  has the function to convert an interface between the nurse call controller  20  and the private branch exchange  40 . 
         [0026]    Note that the private branch exchange  40  can be connected with a plurality of the nurse call controllers  20 . However,  FIG. 1  illustrates an example in which the private branch exchange  40  is connected with one nurse call controller  20 , for description. Further, the number of the nurse call slave units  10  accommodated in one nurse call controller  20  (nurse call master unit) and the number of the PHS terminals  50  accommodated in the private branch exchange  40  are determined according to the specification of the nurse call system, and the numbers are not limited. 
         [0027]    Next, interfaces and a nurse call connection method using the nurse call dedicated unit  31  will be described with reference to  FIGS. 2 to 5 . 
         [0028]      FIG. 2  illustrates an example in which the interface between the nurse call controller  20  and the nurse call dedicated unit  31  is the ISDN basic interfaces of 2(2B+D), and the interface between the nurse call dedicated unit  31  and the private branch exchange  40  is the ISDN primary rate interface of 23B+D. 
         [0029]    The table of  FIG. 3  illustrates channel allocation in the nurse call dedicated unit  31 . In the ISDN basic interface on the nurse call controller  20  side, channels  1  and  2  are allocated to a circuit  1  (the ISDN basic interface circuit), and these channels correspond to channels  1  and  2  of the primary rate interface of 23B+D. Further, channels  1  and  2  are allocated to a circuit  2  (the ISDN basic interface circuit) on the nurse call controller  20  side, and these channels are allocated corresponding to channels  3  and  4  of the primary rate interface of 23B+D. 
         [0030]    In the specification described in Guideline regarding connection between nurse call and housing complex intercom, and PBX, the number of channels included in the nurse call controller  20  is four, and thus in the nurse call dedicated unit  31 , two channels are allocated to each of the circuit  1  and the circuit  2 . Therefore, the interface of the nurse call dedicated unit  31  becomes an interface similar to the ISDN basic interfaces of 2(2B+D). However, in a case where the nurse call controller  20  accommodates both of the circuit  1  and the circuit  2  as the interface in being connected with the private branch exchange  40 , a control channel (D channel) in the circuit  2  cannot be used according to the specification, and thus the D channel of the circuit  2  cannot be shared by the private branch exchange  40  side. Therefore, on the private branch exchange  40  side, the interface becomes an interface in which the nurse call dedicated unit  31  behaves as if it is the ISDN primary rate interface for the private branch exchange  40  side, in order to control four data channels (B channels) with one control channel (D channel). 
         [0031]    While the ISDN primary rate interface of 23B+D is configured from twenty three data channels and one control channel, the nurse call dedicated unit  31  uses only four channels. Therefore, top four data channels of the ISDN primary rate interface of 23B+D on the private branch exchange  40  side are allocated to the four channels of the circuits  1  and  2  of the nurse call dedicated unit  31 . Then, control is performed such that the channel  1  and the channel  2 , of the four channels of the ISDN primary rate interface on the private branch exchange  40  side, are allocated to the channel  1  and the channel  2  used in the circuit  1  of the nurse call dedicated unit  31 , and the channel  3  and the channel  4  of the ISDN primary rate interface on the private branch exchange  40  side are allocated to the channel  1  and the channel  2  used in the circuit  2  of the nurse call dedicated unit  31 . In this case, a control line uses the circuit  1 . 
         [0032]    Next, a connection example of when the slave unit  1  of the nurse call slave units  10  is called from one PHS  1  of the PHS terminals  50  in  FIG. 4  will be described. 
         [0033]    This example is an example in which an ISDN line unit accommodated in the private branch exchange  40  is operated as the nurse call dedicated unit  31 . The nurse call dedicated unit  31  is physically connected with the nurse call controller  20  as two lines four speech paths. Assume that four PHS terminals  50  (a PHS  1  to a PHS  4 ) are accommodated in the private branch exchange  40  in a communicative manner. Assume that four nurse call slave units  10  (a slave unit  1  to a slave unit  4 ) are accommodated in the nurse call controller  20 . Then, the nurse call slave unit  10  and the PHS terminal  50  can call each other. 
         [0034]    Here, channel selection in calling the slave unit  1  from the PHS  1  is performed such that the channel  1  of the ISDN primary rate interface of 23B+D furnished by the private branch exchange  40  and the channel  1  of the circuit  1  of the nurse call dedicated unit  31  are associated with each other, and the channel is specified. The nurse call dedicated unit  31  calls the slave unit  1 , using the channel  1  of the nurse call controller  20  physically connected with the channel  1  of the circuit  1 . If the slave unit  1  responds to the call, the speech path between the PHS  1  and the slave unit  1  is formed and communication becomes available. 
         [0035]    If a similar operation is performed from the PHS  1  to the PHS  4 , the nurse call slave units  10  and the PHS terminals  50  can perform communication, using up to four channels at the same time.  FIG. 5  illustrates an example in which the communication is performed using all of the four channels. 
         [0036]    As described above, the nurse call dedicated unit  31  functions as the ISDN basic interface for the nurse call controller  20 , and functions as the ISDN primary rate interface for the private branch exchange  40 . Therefore, communication control between the nurse call slave units and the PHS terminals serving as the extension terminals of the private branch exchange can be performed using the ISDN interface function of the conventional private branch exchange, and cost of update of hardware, change of software, and the like can be reduced. 
         [0037]    As the nurse call dedicated unit  31 , an INS line unit of the private branch exchange  40  is used, and the ISDN basic interface is converted into the ISDN primary rate interface in the private branch exchange  40 , so that the hardware of the device is not changed and also the change of software can be reduced. In this case, the INS line unit of the private branch exchange can be realized as software that executes a function as a nurse call dedicated unit that performs interface exchange between the ISDN basic interface of the nurse call dedicated unit and the ISDN primary rate interface. Further, a configuration to separately provide the nurse call dedicated unit  31  from the private branch exchange  40 , and accommodate the nurse call dedicated unit  31  in a line unit of the ISDN primary rate interface of the private branch exchange  40  can be realized. 
         [0038]    Further, in the above description of the embodiment, an example in which the nurse call dedicated unit  31  accommodates two ISDN basic interfaces of 2(2B+D) has been described. However, the number of the data channels of the ISDN primary rate interface is twenty three, and thus the nurse call dedicated unit  31  can accommodate up to eleven ISDN basic interfaces. 
       REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 
       [0000]    
       
           10  Nurse call slave unit 
           20  Nurse call controller 
           31  Nurse call dedicated unit 
           32  Nurse call adaptor 
           40  Private branch exchange (PBX) 
           43  Analog line unit 
           50  PHS terminal