Patent ID: 7275099

Claim:
A private branch exchange back-up system in a network system, comprising: a plurality of networks; a network for relay which connects said plurality of networks; each of the plurality of networks having terminals that communicate with each other through the plurality of networks and the network for relay; a private branch exchange which is connected to one of said plurality of networks and which holds terminal data for managing connection between said terminal devices connected to said plurality of networks; a back-up device which is connected to a second at least one of said plurality of networks other than the one of said plurality of networks and which holds the terminal data for managing connection between the terminal devices; wherein when a failure occurs in the operation of connecting the terminal devices by said private branch exchange, said back-up device switches management of connection between the terminal devices to said back-up device in place of said private branch exchange, wherein after switching management of connection between the terminal devices from said private branch exchange to said back-up device, said back-up device transmits state monitoring signals to said private branch exchange to determine whether said private branch exchange is again capable of management of connection between the terminal devices, wherein when said back-up device receives a response to the state monitoring signals indicating that said private branch exchange is again capable of management of connection between the terminal devices, said back-up device automatically switches management of connection between the terminal devices from said back-up device back to said private branch exchange, and wherein said back-up device transmits the state monitoring signal to said private branch exchange at predetermined time intervals before and after switching management of connection between the terminal devices from said private branch exchange to said back-up device.