Integrated multimedia telecommunications server

Multi-support private communication system between at least two enterprises, comprising:

• a network having a connection between the at least two enterprises;
• at each end of the connection to said network a telecommunication server (1),
• each telecommunication server having a central switching assembly (2) comprising a management module (3) with a non-dedicated microprocessor (3′) serving as the platform for a standard multi-tasking computer operating system, supervising in real time the switching of multiplexed frames, a module (4) forming a real time switching module for digitized channels and a module (5) for transfer of voice messages, interconnected by at least one link or internal bus (6, 6′, 6″) for communication and transfer, on the other hand, by modules (7) interfacing with the lines (8, 9, 10, 11) for analog and/or digital transmission and/or with one or more links or computer network buses (12), internal to the enterprise, and finally by modules (13) interfacing with transmission lines (14, 15) connected to the public communication networks, analog (14′) and digital (15′), these modules being integrated into a single structural assembly, and in that an executable software that can run on said server (1) under the control of the multi-tasking operating system comprises, on the one hand, predefined applications, particularly an application ensuring the processing and management of internal lines (8, 9, 10, 11, 12) and external lines (14, 15) in relation to the different modules (7, 13) of data and/or voice communication interface, in response to external or internal requests, on the other hand, programmable applications adapted as specified by a user and executed either internally by said server (1), or externally by one or several suitable computer units (18) connected to said server (1), by using predefined applications, and, finally, by voice channels, of which each is made up of a succession of internal operations of the voice or telephone type and of external operations based on requests and/or awaited actions and which can be started and stopped independently of each other, and
• comprising at least one module (16) interfacing with at least one packet switching network (17), associated with a module (16′) performing bi-directional conversion of multi-plexed circuit switched voice frames into packet switched voice frames made up of suitable signal processors, which ensure the interconnection with said packet switching network (17) of the different modules (7 and 13) digitally and/or analogically interfaced, connected to the transmission lines (8-11, 14 and 15) and/or to the bus or local connections (12) internal to each enterprise connected to said telecommunication network by means of said server (1), supplying a connecting means and signalization means peculiar to the network (17) in question and with the association of the different modules (3, 4, 5, 7 and 13) of said servers (1) in question, the whole set of the services of the Private Branch Exchange.

Process for communication between a telecommunication server and a ISDN terminal, connected to said telecommunication server, comprising the steps of:

• utilizing a telecommunication server having
• a central switching assembly (2) comprising a management module (3) with a non-dedicated microprocessor (3′) serving as the platform for a standard multi-tasking computer operating system, supervising in real time the switching of multiplexed frames, a module (4) forming a real time switching module for digitized channels and a module (5) for transfer of voice messages, interconnected by at least one link or internal bus (6, 6′, 6″) for communication and transfer, modules (7) interfacing with the lines (8, 9, 10, 11) for analog and/or digital transmission and/or with one or more links or computer network buses (12), internal to the enterprise, and modules (13) interfacing with transmission lines (14, 15) connected to the public communication networks, analog (14′) and digital (15′), these modules being integrated into a single structural assembly,
• an executable software that can run on said server (1) under the control of the multi-tasking operating system comprises, on the one hand, predefined applications, particularly an application ensuring the processing and management of internal lines (8, 9, 10, 11, 12) and external lines (14, 15) in relation to the different modules (7, 13) of data and/or voice communication interface, in response to external or internal requests, on the other hand, programmable applications adapted as specified by a user and executed either internally by said server (1), or externally by one or several suitable computer units (18) connected to said server (1), by using predefined applications, and by voice channels, of which each is made up of a succession of internal operations of the voice or telephone type and of external operations based on requests and/or awaited actions and which can be started and stopped independently of each other;
• sending to said ISDN terminal (9″), provided with suitable display means and capable of processing messages of the communication protocol ISDN, a informative frame containing, in a field of the message, data relative to the state of the lines connected to the server (1), of the server (1) and/or of the ISDN terminal (9″) in question, in displaying permanently these data at the level of said ISDN terminal (9″) until the sending of a new informative frame with a modified message field to be displayed, and in emitting a new informative frame at each change of state of a line connected to said server (1);
• and
• transmitting to said ISDN terminal (9″) towards said server (1), in an ISDN frame from said terminal, data concerning one or more buttons activated by the user on said terminal.