Patent Description:
Relay devices that relay voice communication made by a radio transceiver, a telephone, or the like over a network have been proposed (refer to Patent Literatures <NUM>, <NUM>, and <NUM>). As a result of connecting a plurality of relay devices to a network, different types of communication apparatuses such as an IP telephone and a radio can perform voice communication to each other. Patent Literatures <NUM>-<NUM> also provides relaying devices.

When two relay devices that are connected to each other via a network relay voice communication between different types of communication apparatuses, as described above, a communication apparatus on the transmitting side cannot recognize the capability of a communication apparatus on the receiving side. Therefore, the communication apparatus on the transmitting side cannot perform transmission control of a voice signal in accordance with the capability of the communication apparatus on the receiving side, and merely transmits the voice signal using a predetermined fixed mode. For example, when a telephone that performs full duplex communication calls a radio and performs communication, if it is possible to recognize the communication capability (full duplex/half duplex) of the radio to be called, the telephone can determine which of a constant transmission mode and a VOX mode is to be adopted for transmitting the voice signal, according to the capability. If this is not the case, there is a problem in that transmission must be uniformly performed using the VOX mode, or the like.

Therefore, the present invention aims to make it possible to switch, when a communication apparatus that is the communication partner is called via a relay device, the transmission control mode of a voice signal according to the capability of the communication partner.

A relay device of the present invention includes a telephone relay unit and a wireless communication relay unit, as defined by independent claim <NUM>. The telephone relay unit receives call information from a telephone via a network, and after a communication partner designated by the call information has responded, transmits/receives a voice signal to/from the telephone. The wireless communication relay unit, to which a repeater that is a relaying radio is connected, transmits/receives a voice signal to/from a radio via the repeater. The telephone relay unit determines a destination apparatus that is a radio to be called based on the call information received from the telephone, and transfers a voice signal received from the telephone to the wireless communication relay unit. The wireless communication relay unit transfers a voice signal transferred from the telephone relay unit to the destination apparatus. The telephone relay unit includes: a call destination table in which a record including the call information, an address of the destination apparatus, and an apparatus type of the destination apparatus is stored for each of the radios; and a transfer control table in which a record including the apparatus type and the transfer control mode of a voice signal is stored for each of the apparatus types. The telephone relay unit determines the apparatus type of the destination apparatus by referring to the call destination table, determines the transfer control mode of a voice signal corresponding to the determined apparatus type by referring to the transfer control table, and transfers the voice signal to the wireless communication relay unit using the determined mode.

A relay method of a voice signal of the present invention includes, in a relay device to which a telephone and a repeater that is a relaying radio that communicates with a radio are connected, as defined by independent claim <NUM>: receiving call information for calling a radio from the telephone; determining a destination apparatus that is a radio to be called based on the call information; determining an apparatus type of the destination apparatus by referring to a call destination table (<NUM>) in which a record including the call information, an address of the destination apparatus, and an apparatus type of the destination apparatus is stored for each of the radios; and determining a transfer control mode of a voice signal corresponding to the determined apparatus type by referring to a transfer control table in which a record including the apparatus type and the transfer control mode of a voice signal is stored for each of the apparatus types; calling the destination apparatus via the repeater; and transferring, after the destination apparatus has responded, a voice signal received from the telephone to the repeater using the determined transfer control mode.

In the embodiment, the transfer control mode of a voice signal may be one of a constant transmission mode in which voice signals are transferred without interruption in a period in which the telephone and the destination apparatus perform communication, a VOX mode in which only when a voice signal whose level is a predetermined level or more is input from the telephone, the voice signal is transferred, and a DTFM mode in which voice signals are transferred without interruption in a period after a tone signal instructing a transmission start was input until a tone signal instructing a transmission stop is input.

In the embodiment, the transfer control table may store a transfer control mode of a voice signal in accordance with a function of transmitting and receiving a voice signal that the destination apparatus has, in association with the apparatus type.

In the embodiment, the relay device may include a network communication relay unit. The network communication relay unit is to be connected to a WLAN transceiver via a network, and is to be connected to an LTE transceiver via an LTE network. The WLAN transceiver and the LTE transceiver start transmitting voice signals to communication partners without performing a prior call procedure via the network and the LTE network, respectively. The call destination table and the transfer control table store records of the WLAN transceiver and the LTE transceiver. Also, the call destination table may further store a record of group communication in which a plurality of communication apparatuses are destination apparatuses.

According to this invention, when voice signals are transmitted and received between different types of communication apparatuses, transmission control of voice signals that matches the function of a communication apparatus on the receiving side is made possible.

A voice communication system of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. <FIG> is a configuration diagram of a voice communication system <NUM>, which is an embodiment of the present invention. <FIG> is a diagram illustrating the configuration of a relay device <NUM>.

The voice communication system <NUM> includes the relay device <NUM>. The relay device <NUM> relays voice communication between a plurality of communication systems constituted by an IP telephone system <NUM>, a WLAN (wireless LAN) transceiver system <NUM>, an LTE (Long Term Evolution) transceiver system <NUM>, and a wireless communication system <NUM>. Therefore, the relay device <NUM> includes a telephone relay unit <NUM>, a network communication relay unit <NUM>, and a wireless communication relay unit <NUM>.

The IP telephone system <NUM> is connected to the telephone relay unit <NUM>. The IP telephone system <NUM> includes an SIP phone <NUM> and a VoIP gateway <NUM> that are connected to a network <NUM>, and an extension telephone <NUM> connected to the VoIP gateway <NUM>. The VoIP gateway <NUM> has a PBX function and is also connected to a telephone line (external line).

A network <NUM> including a wireless access point (not illustrated) and an LTE communication network <NUM> including a base station (not illustrated) are connected to the network communication relay unit <NUM>. The WLAN transceiver system <NUM> is constructed on the network <NUM>, and the LTE transceiver system <NUM> is constructed on the LTE communication network <NUM>. The WLAN transceiver system <NUM> includes a WLAN transceiver <NUM> that accesses the network <NUM> via the wireless access point. The LTE transceiver system <NUM> includes an LTE transceiver <NUM> that accesses the LTE communication network <NUM> via the base station. The configuration and functions of the network communication relay unit <NUM> are described in detail in <CIT>, which is a prior patent application of this applicant.

As shown in <FIG>, a plurality of external apparatus interfaces <NUM>, which are portions of a signal processing unit <NUM> are connected to the wireless communication relay unit <NUM>. An analog-type radio transceiver (repeater) <NUM> and a digital-type radio transceiver (repeater) <NUM> are connected to the external apparatus interfaces <NUM>. The repeater <NUM> communicates with a handy radio transceiver (analog transceiver) <NUM> of the same analog type. The repeater <NUM> communicates with a handy radio transceiver (digital transceiver) <NUM> of the same digital type. The configuration and functions of the wireless communication relay unit <NUM> are described in detail in <CIT> and <CIT>, which are prior patent applications of this applicant.

<FIG> is a block diagram of the relay device <NUM>. As shown in <FIG>, the relay device <NUM> includes the telephone relay unit <NUM>, the network communication relay unit <NUM>, and the wireless communication relay unit <NUM>. The functions of these units are mainly realized by software. The relay device <NUM> includes a control unit <NUM>. The control unit <NUM> is constituted by a computer including a CPU, a ROM, a RAM, and the like. A network connection unit <NUM>, an LTE connection unit <NUM>, and a signal processing unit <NUM> are connected to the control unit <NUM>. The network connection unit <NUM> is connected to the networks <NUM>. The LTE connection unit <NUM> is connected to the LTE communication network <NUM>. Although the networks <NUM> connected to the telephone relay unit <NUM> and the network communication relay unit <NUM> are separately described in <FIG>, these networks may be the same.

In the relay device <NUM>, the functions of the telephone relay unit <NUM>, the network communication relay unit <NUM>, and the wireless communication relay unit <NUM> are realized by cooperation between hardware including the control unit <NUM> and software. The telephone relay unit <NUM> includes an interface 3A for transmitting and receiving a voice signal and the like to and from the network communication relay unit <NUM>. The network communication relay unit <NUM> includes an interface 4A for transmitting and receiving a voice signal and the like to and from the wireless communication relay unit <NUM>. The wireless communication relay unit <NUM> includes an interface 5A for transmitting and receiving a voice signal and the like to and from the signal processing unit <NUM>. The signal processing unit <NUM> extracts a voice signal from an RTP packet received from the control unit <NUM> (interface 5A), converts the voice signal to a digital or analog signal wave, and outputs the signal wave to the external apparatus interface <NUM>. The signal processing unit <NUM> compresses and encodes a digital or analog voice signal received from the external apparatus interface <NUM>, and also packetizes the encoded data into an RTP packet, and inputs the RTP packet to the control unit <NUM> (interface 5A). The wireless communication relay unit <NUM>, the signal processing unit <NUM>, and the external apparatus interface <NUM> correspond to a "wireless communication relay unit" of the present invention.

Three external apparatus interfaces <NUM> (<NUM>-<NUM> to <NUM>-<NUM>) are provided. The three interfaces are respectively an analog interface <NUM>-<NUM>, a digital interface <NUM>-<NUM>, and an analog (microphone at hand/speaker) interface <NUM>-<NUM>. In the example shown in <FIG>, repeaters <NUM> and <NUM> are respectively connected to the analog interface <NUM>-<NUM> and the digital interface <NUM>-<NUM>.

The network communication relay unit <NUM> relays communication between the WLAN transceivers <NUM>, communication between the LTE transceivers <NUM>, and communication between the WLAN transceiver <NUM> and the LTE transceiver <NUM>. Moreover, in response to a call from the telephone relay unit <NUM>, the network communication relay unit <NUM> relays communication between the telephone <NUM> or <NUM> (SIP phone <NUM>, extension telephone <NUM>) and a WLAN transceiver <NUM> or an LTE transceiver <NUM>, and the communication between the telephone <NUM> or <NUM> and the radio transceiver <NUM> or <NUM>.

The telephone relay unit <NUM>, upon receiving a call from the SIP phone <NUM> or the extension telephone <NUM>, determines the communication partner communication apparatus (destination apparatus), which is the call destination, and inputs the information regarding the destination apparatus and the voice signal received from the telephone <NUM> or <NUM> to the network communication relay unit <NUM>.

<FIG> and <FIG> are diagrams illustrating various types of tables provided in the control unit <NUM> for relaying a call and communication from the telephone <NUM> or <NUM> to the WLAN transceiver <NUM>, the LTE transceiver <NUM>, the analog radio transceiver <NUM>, or the digital radio transceiver <NUM>.

<FIG> is a diagram illustrating a call destination table <NUM>. The call destination table <NUM> is for the control unit <NUM> to determine, when the telephone <NUM> or <NUM> made a call to the telephone relay unit <NUM>, which of the communication apparatuses the call is made to, by referring to the call destination table <NUM>. The communication apparatus to be called by this call is the WLAN transceiver <NUM>, the LTE transceiver <NUM>, the analog transceiver <NUM>, the digital transceiver <NUM>, or the like for which the relay device <NUM> performs relaying. When a user individually calls one of the communication apparatuses from the telephone <NUM> or <NUM>, the user inputs, subsequent to the telephone number of the telephone relay unit <NUM> (relay device <NUM>), an individual call prefix "*" and an identification number (ID) of the communication apparatus to be called. With this, the SIP telephone <NUM> or the VoIP gateway <NUM> generates a call message (INVITE message) to which "telephone number of the telephone relay unit <NUM>"+" * "+"identification number" are added, and transmits the call message to the telephone relay unit <NUM>.

The telephones <NUM> and <NUM> can request group calling for calling a plurality of communication apparatuses at the same time (including plenary calling) to the telephone relay unit <NUM>. In the call destination table <NUM>, in association with each identification number (ID), the type (individual/group/plenary) of communication designated by the identification number, the type of communication apparatus (apparatus type) and an internal address/ port number that are designated by the identification number are described. With respect to each identification number of the group calling, the identification numbers of all of the communication apparatuses that belong to the group are described. When a call to which the identification number is added is made by the telephone <NUM> or <NUM>, the telephone relay unit <NUM> searches the call destination table <NUM> using the identification number, and retrieves the communication apparatus that is to be a communication partner. This communication apparatus that is to be a communication partner corresponds to a destination apparatus of the present invention. The identification number corresponds to call information of the present invention.

<FIG> is a diagram illustrating a PTT control table <NUM>. Transmission control modes (constant transmission mode/VOX mode/DTFM mode) associated with the respective types of the communication apparatuses are stored in the PTT control table <NUM>. The telephone relay unit <NUM>, when transmitting a voice signal received from the telephone <NUM> or <NUM> to the communication partner communication apparatus, determines the transmission control mode by referring to the PTT control table <NUM>.

A constant transmission mode, a VOX mode, and a DTFM mode will be described with reference to <FIG>. The constant transmission mode is a mode of continuously transmitting, in a period from a communication start (off-hook) until a communication end (on-hook), the voice signal (including soundless waveform) received from the telephone <NUM> or <NUM>, and is compatible with a full duplex mode, which is one of the communication modes of the transceiver. The VOX mode is a mode of transmitting, only when a voice signal whose level is a predetermined level or more (considered to be a talking voice) is input from the telephone <NUM> or <NUM>, the voice signal, and is compatible with a half duplex mode, which is one of the communication modes of the transceiver. Note that, in an IP telephone system in which communication is made through the network <NUM>, the voice signal is transmitted and received in a form of an RTP packet, in general. Also, the DTFM mode is a mode in which, after an off-hook, the transmission of a voice signal is started when a user of the telephone <NUM> or <NUM> inputs a PTT-ON instruction tone, and the transmission of the voice signal is ended when the user inputs a PTT-OFF instruction tone. This is to realize an operation analogous to the PTT (Push to Talk) switch with a telephone.

One of the constant transmission mode, the DTFM mode, and the VOX mode is designated, in the PTT control table <NUM>, with respect to each apparatus type of the communication apparatus (destination apparatus). In the PTT control table <NUM>, the VOX mode is designated in the case of a LAN transceiver and a radio transceiver, and the constant transmission mode is designated in the case of an LTE transceiver (telephone communication) and a microphone/speaker. Also, the DTFM mode is designated in the case of plenary communication and group communication. The transmission control mode to be designated to each apparatus type need only be a mode that matches the communication function that the communication apparatus has.

As described above, in the voice communication system of the embodiment described above, when a call designating a specific communication apparatus is made by the telephone <NUM> or <NUM> to the telephone relay unit <NUM>, the transmission control mode of the voice signal is switched based on the type of the designated communication apparatus or whether or not the communication type is the group calling.

The sequence from when a call was made until the start of a talk will be described with reference to <FIG>, when the SIP telephone <NUM> (hereinafter, simply referred to as the telephone <NUM>), out of the telephones <NUM> and <NUM>, has called the analog radio transceiver <NUM> (hereinafter, simply referred to as the radio transceiver <NUM>). The calling sequence from the telephone to the interface 3A is in conformity with SIP, and detailed responses such as "<NUM> Trying" and "<NUM> Ringing" in the middle of calling are not displayed.

When the telephone <NUM> has transmitted an INVITE message to the telephone relay unit <NUM> (step S50), the telephone relay unit <NUM> transfers this INVITE message to the interface 3A in order to call the destination apparatus (radio transceiver <NUM>, in this example) (step S51). In the interface 3A, which of the communication apparatuses the call is made to is determined by searching the call destination table <NUM> by using the identification number added to the INVITE message (step S52). At the same time, the telephone relay unit <NUM> (interface 3A) searches the PTT control table <NUM> by using the apparatus type read out from the call destination table <NUM> (analog transceiver, in this example), and determines that the transmission control mode is the VOX mode (step S53). The telephone relay unit <NUM> generates a call packet in an RTP packet format for calling the determined communication apparatus (radio transceiver <NUM>) (step S54), and outputs the call packet to the network communication relay unit <NUM> (step S55). This call packet is addressed to the address and port number that are described in the call destination table <NUM>.

The call packet is transferred from the network communication relay unit <NUM> to the wireless communication relay unit <NUM> based on the destination address and the like (step S56). In the wireless communication relay unit <NUM>, this call packet is converted to a call signal for calling the radio transceiver <NUM> (step S57), and this call signal is input to the repeater <NUM> (step S58). At the same time, the wireless communication relay unit <NUM> (external apparatus interface <NUM>) outputs a PTT signal to the repeater <NUM>. The repeater <NUM>, upon receiving the call signal and the PTT signal, secures a channel that is a frequency band for wireless communication (step S59), and calls the radio transceiver <NUM> using the channel (step S60).

The radio transceiver <NUM> that has received the call signal generates a call tone. When a user has responded to this call tone (step S61), a response signal is transmitted from the radio transceiver <NUM> to the repeater <NUM> (step S62). The repeater <NUM> inputs this response signal to the wireless communication relay unit <NUM> (step S63). The wireless communication relay unit <NUM> converts the response signal to a response packet (RTP packet) that is addressed to the interface 3A of the telephone relay unit <NUM> (step S64), and transmits the response packet to the network communication relay unit <NUM> (step S65). The network communication relay unit <NUM> transfers this RTP packet to the interface 3A according to the destination address (step S66). The interface 3A, upon receiving this RTP packet, which is a reply, converts the RTP packet to an SIP message (<NUM> OK) of response (step S67), and transmits the SIP message to the telephone <NUM> via the telephone relay unit <NUM>, as a reply (steps S68 and S69). With this, the telephone <NUM> enters a talking state from a calling state, and the communication between the telephone <NUM> and the radio transceiver <NUM> is started (step S70).

When the communication is started, voice signals (RTP packets) are constantly and continuously input from the telephone <NUM> to the telephone relay unit <NUM>. Only when a voice signal whose level is a predetermined level or more is input, this voice signal is re-edited to an RTP packet, and the RTP packet is transmitted to the network communication relay unit <NUM>. Here, the RTP packet to be re-edited is a packet in a format for transferring a voice signal inside the relay device <NUM>, and this format is different from the format used by the IP telephone.

<FIG> is a flowchart indicating voice signal transmission control processing of the control unit <NUM> (telephone relay unit <NUM>, interface 3A). This processing indicates processing that is performed when the voice signal received from the telephone <NUM> or <NUM> is transmitted to a communication apparatus that is the communication partner. When the communication between the telephone and the communication apparatus is started (step S11), the control unit <NUM> refers to the PTT control table <NUM> (step S12). Here, the PTT control table <NUM> is searched by using the apparatus type obtained by searching the call destination table <NUM> by using the identification number added to the INVITE message. The voice signal is transmitted using the retrieved control mode.

If the determined control mode is the VOX mode (YES in step S13), the processing of steps S15 to S17 is executed. If the determined control mode is the DTFM mode (NO in step S13, YES in step S14), the processing of steps S20 to S24 is executed. If the determined control mode is the constant transmission mode (NO in step S13, NO in step S14), the processing of steps S25 and S26 is executed.

In the case of the VOX mode (YES in step S13), the control unit <NUM> determines whether or not a voice signal whose level is the predetermined level or more is input (step S15), and only when a voice signal whose level is the predetermined level or more is input (YES in step S15), generates an RTP packet of the voice signal, and transmits the RTP packet (step S16). The processing described above is successively performed until the communication is ended (YES in step S17).

In the case of DTFM mode (NO in step S13, YES in step S14), the control unit <NUM> determines whether or not a PTT-ON instruction tone is input (step S20), and whether or not a PTT-OFF instruction tone is input (step S23), and generates and transmits RTP packets of the voice signal (step S22), in a period from when the PTT-ON instruction tone was input (YES in step S20) until when the PTT-OFF instruction tone is input (YES in step S23). Note that, if the communication is ended (YES in step S21 or S24) when monitoring the input of the PTT-ON instruction tone (step S20) and the input of the PTT-OFF instruction tone (step S23), the control unit <NUM> ends the processing.

In the case of the constant transmission mode (NO in steps S13 and S14), the control unit <NUM> continues to generate and transmit RTP packets of the voice signal (step S25) until the communication is ended (YES in step S26). Note that, in any of the transmission control modes, a voice RTP packet is generated and transmitted every fixed time period (every <NUM>, for example).

The wireless communication relay unit <NUM>, upon receiving a voice signal from the telephone relay unit <NUM> (via the network communication relay unit <NUM>), performs control such that this voice signal is input to an apparatus (repeater or the like) that is connected to the external apparatus interface <NUM>, and the voice signal is to be output. That is, when a repeater is connected, the wireless communication relay unit <NUM> instructs the repeater to transmit the voice signal by inputting a PTT signal. In the case of the microphone/speaker <NUM>, the voice signal is output from the speaker as a sound without specific operation.

Claim 1:
A relay device (<NUM>) that includes a telephone relay unit (<NUM>) and a wireless communication relay unit (<NUM>),
wherein the telephone relay unit (<NUM>) receives call information from a telephone (<NUM>, <NUM>) via a network (<NUM>), and after a communication partner designated by the call information has responded, transmits/receives a voice signal to/from the telephone (<NUM> ,<NUM>),
the wireless communication relay unit (<NUM>), to which a repeater (<NUM>, <NUM>) that is a relaying radio is connected, transmits/receives a voice signal to/from a radio via the repeater (<NUM>, <NUM>),
the telephone relay unit (<NUM>) determines a destination apparatus that is a radio to be called based on the call information received from the telephone (<NUM>, <NUM>), and transfers a voice signal received from the telephone (<NUM>, <NUM>) to the wireless communication relay unit (<NUM>),
the wireless communication relay unit (<NUM>) transfers a voice signal transferred from the telephone relay unit (<NUM>) to the destination apparatus,
the telephone relay unit (<NUM>) includes:
a call destination table (<NUM>) in which a record including the call information, an address of the destination apparatus, and an apparatus type of the destination apparatus is stored for each of the radios; and
a transfer control table in which a record including the apparatus type and a transfer control mode of a voice signal is stored for each of the apparatus types, and
the telephone relay unit (<NUM>) determines the apparatus type of the destination apparatus by referring to the call destination table (<NUM>), determines the transfer control mode of a voice signal corresponding to the determined apparatus type by referring to the transfer control table, and transfers a voice signal to the wireless communication relay unit (<NUM>) using the determined mode.