Exchange system and method using icons for controlling communications between plurality of terminals

An exchange method comprising:

• displaying icons of various terminals on screens of terminals;
• detecting association between the icons performed on the screens of the terminals;
• and
• controlling connection and disconnection between the terminals and/or connection and disconnection between an exchange apparatus and the terminal depending on the contents of the association,
• wherein controlling connection and disconnection comprises transmitting a connection request message including a connection request table from the terminals to the exchange apparatus,
• wherein the exchange apparatus comprises updating the contents of a current connection infonnation table, on the basis of the contents of the connection request table included in the connection request message received from the terminals and the contents of the current connection information table.

An exchange system comprising:

• a liquid crystal display screen for displaying icons of various terminals on screens of terminals;
• an input control device for detecting association between the icons performed on the screens of the terminals;
• and
• a central processing unit for controlling connection and disconnection between the terminals and/or connection and disconnection between a telephone exchange and the terminal depending on the contents of the association between the icons performed on the screens of the terminals detected by said input control device,
• wherein the central processing unit transmits a connection request message including a connection request table from the terminals to the telephone exchange,
• wherein the telephone exchange updates the contents of a current connection information table, on the basis of the contents of the connection request table included in the connection request message received from the terminals and the contents of the current connection information table.

An exchange system comprising:

• a management terminal;
• a display that displays icons of a plurality of terminals on a screen of the management terminal;
• a detection circuit that detects association between the icons performed on the screen of the management terminal, wherein a management terminal icon of the management terminal displayed on the screen of the management terminal is in a communication-ready state by default;
• and
• a control circuit that controls connection and disconnection between the plurality of the terminals depending on the contents of the association between the icons performed on the screen of the management terminal detected by the detection circuit.

An exchange system comprising:

• display means for displaying icons of a plurality of terminals on screens of the plurality of the terminals and displaying a call originating state, a call-in state, and a connection state by using the icons;
• detection means for detecting association between the icons performed on the screens of the plurality of the terminals;
• and
• control means for controlling connection and disconnection between the plurality of the terminals and/or connection and disconnection between an exchange apparatus and a terminal among the plurality of terminals depending on the contents of the association,
• wherein the control means comprises:
• means for transmitting a connection request message including a connection request table having connection source information, connection destination information, and a connection direction depending on the contents of the association detected by the detection means from the plurality of the terminals the icons of which are associated with each other to the exchange apparatus;
• means for comparing the connection request table transmitted to the exchange apparatus with one or more present connection information table managed by the exchange apparatus and having the connection source information, the connection destination information, and the connection direction;
• means for performing a connection process on the basis of a result of at least the comparison;
• means for updating the present connection information table, reflecting the connection process;
• and
• means for transmitting a connection table updating notification message having a table having the connection source information, the connection destination information, and the connection direction which reflect the updating of the present connection information table from the exchange apparatus to at least one terminal of the plurality of the terminals including the terminals the icons of which are associated with each other,
• wherein display means of the plurality of the terminals the icons of which are associated with each other update the displays on the basis of the association,
• wherein the display means of at least one terminal among the plurality of the terminals including the terminals the icons of which are associated with each other, the terminal receiving the connection table updating notification message from the exchange apparatus, updates the display means on the basis of the connection table updating notification message, and
• wherein the connection direction is any one of both directions, a forward direction, a backward direction, and mute depending on a connection relationship.

An exchange method comprising:

• displaying icons of a plurality of terminals on screens of plurality of the terminals and displaying a call originating state, a call-in state, and a connection state by using the icons;
• detecting association between the icons performed on the screens of the plurality of the terminals;
• and
• controlling connection and disconnection between the plurality of the terminals and/or connection and disconnection between an exchange apparatus and a terminal among the plurality of the terminals depending on the contents of the association,
• wherein the controlling the connection and the disconnection comprises:
• transmitting a connection request message including a connection request table having connection source information, connection destination information, and a connection direction depending on the contents of the association detected by the detecting the association from the plurality of the terminals the icons of which are associated with each other to the exchange apparatus;
• comparing the connection request table transmitted to the exchange apparatus with one or more present connection information table managed by the exchange apparatus and having the connection source information, the connection destination information, and the connection direction;
• performing a connection process on the basis of a result of at least the comparison;
• updating the present connection information table, reflecting the connection process;
• and
• transmitting a connection table updating notification message having a table having the connection source information, the connection destination information, and the connection direction which reflect the updating of the present connection information table from the exchange apparatus to at least one terminal among the plurality of the terminals including the terminals the icons of which are associated with each other,
• wherein display means of the plurality of the terminals the icons of which are associated with each other update the displays on the basis of the association,
• wherein the display means of at least one terminal among the plurality of the terminals including the terminals the icons of which are associated with each other, the terminal receiving the connection table updating notification message from the exchange apparatus, updates the display means on the basis of the connection table updating notification message, and
• wherein the connection direction is any one of both directions, a forward direction, a backward direction, and mute depending on a connection relationship.