Communication-status notification apparatus for communication system, communication-status display apparatus, communication-status notification method, medium in which communication-status notification program is recorded and communication apparatus

A communication-status notification apparatus for a communication system in which at least one subscriber terminal is connected to a communication network via first gateway equipment, serving to create/analyze a packet as a voice data transmission medium, so that the subscriber terminal sends/receives voice data over the communication network, said apparatus being adapted to be incorporated in the first gateway equipment and comprising:

• a communication-status monitor/control section for monitoring/controlling the communication status of the communication network, based on the processing status of the voice data in the first gateway equipment;
• and
• a communication-status notification section for notifying the subscriber terminal of the communication status monitored/controlled by said communication-status monitor/control section via the first gateway equipment;
• wherein said communication-status monitor/control section includes a traffic-status monitor/control section for monitoring/controlling a traffic status in the communication network, based on at least either of i) information about the traffic status collected from each of one or more routers, which are included in the communication network, and ii) a sending/receiving status of test packets to/from second gateway equipment, which is connected to the communication network and serves as a companion to the first gateway equipment for voice data transmission.

A communication-status notification apparatus for a communication system in which at least one subscriber terminal is connected to a communication network via first gateway equipment, serving to create/analyze a packet as a voice data transmission medium, so that the subscriber terminal sends/receives voice data over the communication network, said apparatus being adapted to be incorporated in the first gateway equipment and comprising:

• a communication-status monitor/control section for monitoring/controlling the communication status of the communication network, based on the processing status of the voice data in the first gateway equipment;
• and
• a communication-status notification section for notifying the subscriber terminal of the communication status monitored/controlled by said communication-status monitor/control section via the first gateway equipment;
• said communication-status monitor/control section includes a cryptographic-processing-status monitor/control section for monitoring/controlling a cryptographic-processing status of voice data transmitted over the communication network.

A communication-status notification apparatus for a communication system in which at least one subscriber terminal is connected to an communication network via first gateway equipment, serving to create/analyze a packet as a voice data transmission medium, so that the subscriber terminal sends/receives voice data over the communication network, said apparatus being adapted to be incorporated in the first gateway equipment and comprising:

• a request analysis section for discriminating whether or not voice data received by the first gateway equipment from the subscriber terminal contains a request on monitoring/controlling or notifying a communication status in the communication network, and for analyzing the content of said request contained in the voice data received from the subscriber terminal;
• a communication-status monitor/control section, responsive to the content of said request analyzed by said request analysis section, for monitoring/controlling the communication status of the communication network, based on the processing status of the voice data in the first gateway equipment;
• and
• a communication-status notification section, responsive to the content of said request analyzed by said request analysis section, for notifying the subscriber terminal of the communication status monitored/controlled by said communication-status monitor/control section via the first gateway equipment.

A communication-status display apparatus for a communication system in which at least one subscriber terminal is connected to a communication network via gateway equipment, serving to create/analyze a packet as a voice data transmission medium, so that the subscriber terminal sends/receives voice data over the communication network, and also serving to monitor/control a communication status in the communication network so as to notify the subscriber terminal of information about the monitored/controlled communication status, said apparatus being adapted to be incorporated in the subscriber terminal and comprising:

• a notified-information detection section for detecting information about the communication status of the communication network, which status is monitored/controlled by the gateway equipment, when the subscriber terminal is notified of the communication-status information from the gateway equipment;
• a display-material storage section for storing at least one of voice, character and image as display materials;
• and
• a communication-status display section for displaying the communication status of the communication network, based on the communication-status information detected by said notified-information detection section, using said display materials stored in said display-material storage section.

A communication-status notification method for notifying at least one subscriber terminal of a communication status in a communication network of a communication system in which the subscriber terminal is connected to the communication network via gateway equipment, serving to create/analyze a packet as a voice data transmission medium, so that the subscriber terminal sends/receives voice data over the communication network, said method comprising the steps of:

• at the subscriber terminal,
• (a) sending to the gateway equipment a request on monitoring/controlling or notifying of a communication status of the communication network, said request being contained in voice data transmitted over the communication network;
• at the gateway equipment,
• (b) discriminating whether or not voice data received from the subscriber terminal contains said request sent by the subscriber terminal in said step (a) and, when the voice data received from the subscriber terminal contains said request, analyzing the content of said request contained in the voice data;
• (c) in response to the content of said request analyzed in said step (b), monitoring/controlling the communication status of the communication network, based on a processing status of the voice data in the gateway equipment;
• and
• (d) in response to the content of said request analyzed in said step (b), notifying the subscriber terminal of the communication status monitored/controlled in said step (c).

A recording medium, in which a communication-status notification program is recorded, for use in a gateway equipment of a communication system in which at least one subscriber terminal is connected to a communication network via the gateway equipment, serving to create/analyze a packet as a voice data transmission medium, so that the subscriber terminal sends/receives voice data over the communication network, wherein said communication-status notification program instructs the gateway equipment to function as the following:

• means for discriminating whether or not voice data received by the gateway equipment from the subscriber terminal contains a request on monitoring/controlling or notifying of a communication status in the communication network, and for analyzing the content of said request contained in the voice data received from the subscriber terminal;
• means, responsive to the content of said request analyzed by said discriminating and analyzing means, for monitoring/controlling the communication status of the communication network, based on the processing status of the voice data in the gateway equipment;
• and
• means, responsive to the content of said request analyzed by said discriminating and analyzing means, for notifying the subscriber terminal of the communication status, which is monitored/controlled by said monitoring/controlling means, via the gateway equipment.

A communication-status notification method for notifying at least one subscriber terminal of a communication status in a communication network of a communication system in which the subscriber terminal is connected to the communication network via first gateway equipment, serving to create/analyze a packet as a voice data transmission medium, so that the subscriber terminal sends/receives voice data over the communication network, said method being carried out at the first gateway equipment and comprising the steps of:

• (a) monitoring/controlling the communication status of the communication network, based on a processing status of voice data in the first gateway equipment;
• and
• (b) notifying the subscriber terminal of the communication status monitored/controlled in said step (a);
• wherein said step (a) includes monitoring/controlling a traffic status in the communication network, based on at least either of i) information about the traffic status collected from each of one or more routers, which are included in the communication network, and ii) a sending/receiving status of test packets to/from second gateway equipment, which is connected to the communication network and serves as a companion to the first gateway equipment for voice data transmission.

A communication-status notification method for notifying at least one subscriber terminal of a communication status in a communication network of a communication system in which the subscriber terminal is connected to the communication network via gateway equipment, serving to create/analyze a packet as a voice data transmission medium, so that the subscriber terminal sends/receives voice data over the communication network, said method being carried out at the gateway equipment and comprising the steps of:

• (a) monitoring/controlling the communication status of the communication network, based on a processing status of voice data in the gateway equipment;
• and
• (b) notifying the subscriber terminal of the communication status monitored/controlled in said step (a);
• wherein said step (a) includes monitoring/controlling a cryptographic-processing status of voice data transmitted over the communication network.

A recording medium, in which a communication-status notification program is recorded, for use in first gateway equipment of a communication system in which at least one subscriber terminal is connected to a communication network via the first gateway equipment, serving to create/analyze a packet as a voice data transmission medium, so that the subscriber terminal sends/receives voice data over the communication network, wherein said communication-status notification program instructs the first gateway equipment to function as the following:

• means for monitoring/controlling a communication status in the communication network, based on a processing status of voice data in the first gateway equipment;
• and
• means for notifying the subscriber terminal of the communication status of the communication network, which is monitored/controlled by said monitoring/controlling means, via the first gateway equipment;
• wherein said means for monitoring/controlling is operable to monitor/control a traffic status in the communication network, based on at least either of i) information about the traffic status collected from each of one or more routers, which are included in the communication network, and ii) a sending/receiving status of test packets to/from second gateway equipment, which is connected to the communication network and serves as a companion to the first gateway equipment for voice data transmission.

A recording medium, in which a communication-status notification program is recorded, for use in gateway equipment of a communication system in which at least one subscriber terminal is connected to a communication network via the gateway equipment, serving to create/analyze a packet as a voice data transmission medium, so that the subscriber terminal sends/receives voice data over the communication network, wherein said communication-status notification program instructs the gateway equipment to function as the following:

• means for monitoring/controlling a communication status in the communication network, based on a processing status of voice data in the gateway equipment;
• and
• means for notifying the subscriber terminal of the communication status of the communication network, which is monitored/controlled by said monitoring/controlling means, via the gateway equipment;
• wherein said means for monitoring/controlling is operable to monitor/control a cryptographic-processing status of voice data transmitted over the communication network.

A communication apparatus for use in a communication system including a communication network and at least one subscriber terminal, said apparatus being disposed between the communication network and the subscriber terminal and comprising:

• a gateway section serving to create/analyze a packet as a voice data transmission medium so that the subscriber terminal sends/receives voice data over the communication network;
• a communication-status monitor/control section for monitoring/controlling the communication status of the communication network, based on the processing status of the voice data in said gateway section;
• and
• a communication-status notification section for notifying the subscriber terminal of the communication status monitored/controlled by said communication-status monitor/control section via said gateway section;
• wherein said communication-status monitor/control section includes a traffic-status monitor/control section for monitoring/controlling a traffic status in the communication network, based on at least either of i) information about the traffic status collected from each of one or more routers, which are included in the communication network, and ii) a sending/receiving status of test packets to/from gateway equipment, which is connected to the communication network and serves as a companion to said gateway section for voice data transmission.

A communication apparatus for use in a communication system including a communication network and at least one subscriber terminal, said apparatus being disposed between the communication network and the subscriber terminal and comprising:

• a gateway section serving to create/analyze a packet as a voice data transmission medium so that the subscriber terminal sends/receives voice data over the communication network;
• a communication-status monitor/control section for monitoring/controlling the communication status of the communication network, based on the processing status of the voice data in said gateway section;
• and
• a communication-status notification section for notifying the subscriber terminal of the communication status monitored/controlled by said communication-status monitor/control section via said gateway section;
• wherein said communication-status monitor/control section includes a cryptographic-processing-status monitor/control section for monitoring/controlling a cryptographic-processing status of voice data transmitted over the communication network.

A communication apparatus for use in a communication system including a communication network and at least one subscriber terminal, said apparatus being disposed between the communication network and the subscriber terminal and comprising:

• a gateway section serving to create/analyze a packet as a voice data transmission medium so that the subscriber terminal sends/receives voice data over the communication network;
• a request analysis section for discriminating whether or not voice data received by the gateway section from the subscriber terminal contains a request on monitoring/controlling or notifying a communication status in the communication network, and for analyzing the content of said request contained in the voice data received from the subscriber terminal;
• a communication-status monitor/control section, responsive to the content of said request analyzed by said request analysis section, for monitoring/controlling the communication status of the communication network, based on the processing status of the voice data in the gateway section;
• and
• a communication-status notification section, responsive to the content of said request analyzed by said request analysis section, for notifying the subscriber terminal of the communication status monitored/controlled by said communication-status monitor/control section.

A communication-status notification apparatus for a communication system in which at least one subscriber terminal is connected to a communication network via a router, serving to create/analyze a packet as a voice data transmission medium, so that the subscriber terminal sends/receives voice data over the communication network, said apparatus being adapted to be incorporated in the router and comprising:

• a communication-status monitor/control section for monitoring/controlling the communication status of the communication network, based on the processing status of the voice data in said router;
• and
• a communication-status notification section for notifying the subscriber terminal of the communication status monitored/controlled by said communication-status monitor/control section via said router;
• wherein said communication-status monitor/control section includes a traffic-status monitor/control section for monitoring/controlling a traffic status in the communication network, based on at least either of i) information about the traffic status collected from each of one or more routers, which are included in the communication network, and ii) a sending/receiving status of test packets to/from second gateway equipment, which is connected to the communication network and serves as a companion to said router for voice data transmission.

A communication-status notification apparatus for a communication system in which at least one subscriber terminal is connected to a communication network via a router, serving to create/analyze a packet as a voice data transmission medium, so that the subscriber terminal sends/receives voice data over the communication network, said apparatus being adapted to be incorporated in the router and comprising:

• a communication-status monitor/control section for monitoring/controlling the communication status of the communication network, based on the processing status of the voice data in said router;
• and
• a communication-status notification section for notifying the subscriber terminal of the communication status monitored/controlled by said communication-status monitor/control section via said router;
• wherein said communication-status monitor/control section includes a cryptographic-processing-status monitor/control section for monitoring/controlling a cryptographic-processing status of voice data transmitted over the communication network.

A communication-status notification apparatus for a communication system in which at least one subscriber terminal is connected to a communication network via a router, serving to create/analyze a packet as a voice data transmission medium, so that the subscriber terminal sends/receives voice data over the communication network, said apparatus being adapted to be incorporated in the router and comprising:

• a request analysis section for discriminating whether or not voice data received by the router from the subscriber terminal contains a request on monitoring/controlling or notifying a communication status in the communication network, and for analyzing the content of said request contained in the voice data received from the subscriber terminal;
• a communication-status monitor/control section, responsive to the content of said request analyzed by said request analysis section, for monitoring/controlling the communication status of the communication network, based on the processing status of the voice data in the router;
• and
• a communication-status notification section, responsive to the content of said request analyzed by said request analysis section, for notifying the subscriber terminal of the communication status monitored/controlled by said communication-status monitor/control section.