Multimedia private branch exchanger and private branch exchange system

Abstract

The router unit is built in the main key telephone apparatus, the office line interface function and the independent power supplying function are deleted in the router unit, and the office line interface units and the power supply unit substitute for these functions. The temperature inside the cabinet, the operated state of the cooling fan, and the temperature and operating power supply voltage Vcc of the PC power supply unit, etc. are detected in the CTI personal computer, and these monitor data are transferred to the main key telephone apparatus and analyzed in the main key telephone apparatus, so as to detect abnormality in the CTI personal computer and take necessary measures against the abnormality.

1 . A multimedia private branch exchanger, comprising: 
 a line interface unit for accommodating a plurality of extension lines and having a function of controlling communication with telephone terminals to be connected to said extension lines;    a router unit for accommodating a local area network and having a function of controlling communication with data terminals to be connected to said local area network;    an office line interface unit being provided commonly to said line interface unit and said router unit, and having a function of controlling communication with an external communication network; and    a switching unit for selectively connecting said line interface unit and said router unit to said office line interface unit, on the basis of a request for setting a call.    
     
     
         2 . A multimedia private branch exchanger according to  claim 1 , further comprising a power supply unit provided commonly to said line interface unit, said router unit, said office line interface unit and said switching unit, for supplying to each of said units power necessary for their respective operations.  
     
     
         3 . A multimedia private branch exchanger according to any one of claims  1  and  2 , wherein said router unit comprises a protocol converting unit for connecting said data terminals directly to said office line interface unit.  
     
     
         4 . A multimedia private branch exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein a hub for accommodating a plurality of local area networks or data terminal devices is built in said router unit.  
     
     
         5 . A private branch exchange system, comprising an exchanger for accommodating a plurality of extension lines and at least one office line and having various functions concerning exchange between said extension lines or between said extension liens and said office line; and a computer for carrying out part of the functions of said exchanger, 
 wherein said computer comprises means for monitoring abnormality in its own device, and means for informing said exchanger of abnormality monitor results obtained by said abnormality monitoring means; and    said exchanger comprises means for receiving the abnormality monitor results from said computer, means for discriminating abnormality on the basis of the abnormality monitor results received by said abnormality receiving means, and abnormality response means for optionally disconnecting said computer from its own device on the basis of discrimination results of said abnormality discriminating means.    
     
     
         6 . A private branch exchange system according to  claim 5 , wherein said abnormality response means comprises a function of resetting or stopping said computer.  
     
     
         7 . A private branch exchange system according to  claim 5 , wherein said abnormality monitoring means monitors at least one of abnormality in a temperature inside said computer, abnormality in the power supply, abnormality in operations of a cooling device and abnormality in operations of said computer.  
     
     
         8 . A private branch exchange system according to  claim 5 , wherein said computer further comprises means for monitoring recovering conditions of its own device from the abnormality, and means for informing said exchanger of the recovery results monitored by said recovery monitoring means; and 
 said exchanger further comprises means for receiving recovery monitor results from said computer, means for discriminating recovering conditions on the basis of the recovery monitor results received by said recovery receiving means, and means for restoring the connection with said computer on the basis of the discrimination results of said recovery discriminating means.    
     
     
         9 . A private branch exchange system, comprising an exchanger for accommodating a plurality of extension lines and at least one office line and having various functions concerning exchange between said extension lines or between said extension liens and said office line, and a computer for carrying out part of the functions of said exchanger, 
 wherein said system further comprises: 
 means for allowing said exchanger to inquire said computer about operated conditions of said computer; and  
 means for compulsorily resetting said computer when a predetermined response to said inquiry is not sent from said computer to said exchanger.  
   
     
     
         10 . A private branch exchange system according to  claim 9 , wherein said resetting means compulsorily resets said computer when said computer makes no response to said inquiry.  
     
     
         11 . A private branch exchange system according to  claim 9 , wherein said resetting means compulsorily resets said computer when said computer sends back abnormal data in response to said inquiry.  
     
     
         12 . A private branch exchange system according to any one of claims  5 ,  8  and  9 , wherein said exchanger further comprises means, when abnormality in operations of said computer is detected, for transmitting information of the abnormality to telephone terminals to be connected to said extension lines to inform said telephone terminals of said information.  
     
     
         13 . A private branch exchange system according to any one of claims  5 ,  8  and  9 , wherein said exchanger further comprises means, when a relay station is connected to said exchanger and if abnormality in operations of said computer is detected, for transmitting information of the abnormality to said relay station to inform said relay station of the abnormality.  
     
     
         14 . A private branch exchange system, comprising an exchanger for accommodating a plurality of extension lines and at least one office line and having various functions concerning exchange between said extension lines or between said extension liens and said office line, and a computer for carrying out part of the functions of said exchanger, 
 wherein said system further comprises: 
 means for monitoring the abnormality in operations of said exchanger;  
 means for initializing an operated state of said exchanger when the abnormality is detected in the operations of said exchanger by said abnormality monitoring means; and  
 means for setting said computer to be in a waiting state by the time when the initialization has been completed by said initializing means, releasing the waiting state of said computer after said initialization has been finished and restarting said computer.