Patent ID: 8369365

Claim:
A network terminal that is configured to accept a plurality of users that log on in parallel with log-on information and to selectively be connected to an interface for IP telephone communications, the network terminal comprising: a plurality of applications corresponding to the plurality of users, respectively, each application being configured to support IP telephone communications and to run in parallel with the other of the plurality of applications when the plurality of users log on to the network terminal in parallel, each application being configured to convert a first telephone signal received from the interface and a second telephone signal received from an external IP telephone terminal when IP telephone communication is performed between the interface and the external IP telephone terminal, each application being capable of independently communicating with the external IP telephone when the corresponding user logs on to the network terminal, the log-on information with which each user logs on to the network terminal being assigned a corresponding priority, and the plurality of applications including a first application corresponding to log-on information to which a first priority is assigned, and a second application corresponding to log-on information to which a second priority is assigned; a cooperative unit that is configured to place one of the first application and the second application in communication with the interface according to which of the first application and the second application corresponds to the log-on information that is assigned a higher priority; and a controller that is configured to prevent one of the first application and the second application from communicating with the interface according to which of the first application and the second application corresponds to the log-on information that is assigned a lower priority.