Method and device for verifying a connection between an application performing an access to a communication device and a device controlling the access

Method and apparatus for verifying a connection between an access to a communication device by leading application and a controlled access facility

More particularly, the invention relates to a method and an Means for verifying a connection between a so-called 'TAPI application' (<u>T</u>elephony <u>A</u>pplication <u>P</u>rogramming<u>I</u>nterface) and a so-called 'TAPI Service Provider'.

A controller of a data transmission from a on a Windows-based data processing device - eg a personal computer - application running on a communications network - for example, via an ISDN network or a mobile telephone network - is generally by means of a integrated in the data processing so-called TAPI driver (<u>T</u>elephony <u>A</u>pplication <u>P</u>rogramming <u>I</u>nterface). TAPI is this a software interface, which fall a Access starting from on a Windows-based data processing device applications running on a the Connection to a communication network embodying terminal unit the data processing device allows. Therefor is for the TAPI interface, a standardized set of Commands defined.

In a so-called 'client-server architecture' feature the individual designated as 'clients' data processing devices no direct connection to a communication system or to the communications network. The connection to the communication system or the communication network takes place, by called 'Server' central facility, the for example via a local area network LAN (Local Area Network) is connected to the data processing means.

Such central facility is in the literature often referred to as 'TAPI Service Provider', short TSP.

For data transmission with the communication system, or via the communication network starting from a on the data processing device current administration, the issued by the application and commands to be transmitted the Data on the TAPI interface the data processing device, the local area network LAN and the TAPI interface the central device to the central device transmitted, which is a custom application- Connection with the communication system, or via the communication network establishes.

are thereby by depending on the kind of an application application communications-system-specific functions, such as billing, phone book functions or ACD functions (<u>A</u>utomatic <u>C</u>all <u>D</u>istribution) realized. In the implementation of some of these communications-system-specific Functions, such as in an implementation ACD functions are the respective application and the Communication system in a permanent interrelationship each other, ie, there is permanently a bidirectional Exchange of information between the application and the communication system via the central device (TAPI Service Provider).

If this results in a malfunction of the application or crashes the application from the extreme case, the bidirectional Information exchange unscheduled by the application interrupted. The central facility (TAPI Service Provider) has no securing means including a detects such a malfunction or application crash and continues to wait for messages on the application. by virtue of the unrecognized malfunction or the crash of Application, there are therefore also malfunction 'TAPI Service Providers' or the communication system, so that a Accuracy of subsequent actions or gained Data can not be guaranteed.

The present invention is therefore based on the object, provide measures by which a malfunction or a recognized crash an application and take appropriate action can be.

This object is inventively with the Features of claim 1 and 9 respectively.

is a significant advantage of the inventive method the fact that the process in a simple way already in existing systems can be integrated.

Advantageous further developments of the invention are in the dependent claims indicated.

An advantage of defined in the dependent claims embodiments the invention is, inter alia, that by the possibility of an individual configuration of a central Unit a response after a malfunction - for example, a fall - one application at will can be set up.

A further advantage of defined in the subclaims Embodiments of the invention is that by the Using a TAPI interface (<u>T</u>elephony <u>A</u>pplication<u>P</u>rogramming <u>I</u>nterface) for communication between a running on a data processing device application and the communication device data processing devices with the widespread operating system "Windows" Mircrosoft the company can be used.

An embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the following the drawing explained.

They show:<dl tsize="7" compact="compact"><dt>Fig. 1:</dt><dd>a structural diagram for the schematic representation of the the inventive method substantially involved Functional units; and</dd><dt>Fig. 2:</dt><dd>a Windows window by which a configuration reduction applied in a malfunction of an application Error handling is made possible.</dd></dl>

Fig. 1 shows a server device and a plurality of data processing devices SE DV1, ..., DVn - in the literature this context, often referred to as 'clients' - the above a local area network (LAN<u>L</u>ocal <u>A</u>rea <u>N</u>etwork) each are connected. Data transmission via the local network LAN is done according to the known IP protocol (Internet Protocol). Further, the server device SE via a V.24 interface connected to a private branch exchange PBX. Alternatively, a terminal server device SE to the private branch exchange PBX via an ISDN-oriented Interface - for example, an S₀interface - or an IP-oriented interface done (by the in Bracketed S₀-SS And IP-SS indicated).

Both the data processing devices DV1, ..., DVn as well as on the server device SE run under the operating system "Windows" the company Mircosoft applications APP from, through which access to the private branch exchange PBX takes place. An access the applications APP on the communication system PBX is via a respectively in the server means SE and the data processing devices DV1, ..., DVn implemented so-called TAPI interface. Exemplary run on a first data processing device DV1 an application APP-G for billing and on a second data processing device DV2 a phone book application APP-T for an automatic connection via the communication system PBX from a selected means of application APP-T number information from. On the server device SE, an application runs APP-ACD for automatic call distribution (ACD: Automatic Call Distribution) from, by the control of the incoming distributing to the private branch exchange PBX Call done. Further, in a control unit STE the private branch exchange PBX also an application APP-UCD (UCD: Universal Call Distribution) for call distribution of arriving at the private branch exchange PBX calls implemented, the application APP-UCD only in cases is activated, in which the server device SE implemented application APP-ACD for automatic call distribution is disabled or fails.

A control of the data exchange between the communication system PBX and the respective applications APP-ACD, APP-G, APP-T is in this case by one on the server means ongoing central unit TSP - often in the literature as 'TAPI Service Provider "means - realized. bidirectional Data transmission between the central unit TSP and the private branch exchange PBX takes place by way of example according to the CSTA protocol (<u>C</u>omputer <u>S</u>upported <u>T</u>elecommunications<u>A</u>pplication). A bi-directional data transmission between the central unit TSP and the applications APP-ACD, APP-G, APP-T is under access to - not shown TAPI library functions - In the literature frequently-as' dynamic Link Library ', short DLL called.

The central unit TSP essentially comprises a control unit SAC-C and a configuring unit SAC-K. By the control unit SAC-C are on the one hand adjustable Time intervals maintenance messages SAC (Still Alive Control "on the server device SE and the Data processing devices DV1, ..., DVn applications running APP-ACD, APP-G, APP-T sent. Secondly checks the control unit SAC-C, whether within the time intervals Maintenance message SAC of the applications APP-ACD, APP-G, APP-T transmitted back to the central unit TSP will. If within this time interval no maintenance messages from the SAC currently running received applications APP-ACD, APP-G, APP-T, is assumed that during the execution of the application APP-ACD, APP-G, APP-T an error or the respective Application APP-ACD, APP-G, APP-T is even crashed and it is a by configuring unit SAC-K fixed Error handling introduced.

Fig. 2 shows a SAC by the configuring unit-K a display device, for example a monitor, the server device SE shown Windows window by which a Configuring the event of a malfunction of an application allows ACD APP, APP-G, APP-T error handling to be carried out becomes.

By configuring unit SAC-K is the time interval for sending and receiving the maintenance messages SAC adjusted by the control unit SAC-C. In the present Embodiment, a time interval of 500 ms selected. Furthermore, you can set if out a logbook is to be, in which the communication for subsequent Review, eg when an error has occurred case to be saved. If this is the case, then in a Directory of the server device SE indicated a file are, in the communication between the securing device TSP stored and the applications APP-ACD, APP-G, APP T becomes. takes place in the present embodiment, a storage of the communication to a file 'Tsp_sac.log' in directory 'c: \ hicom \ ...' the server device SE.

In addition, set in the illustrated Windows window are the actions by the security device TSP to be executed when a malfunction of an application ACD APP, APP-G, T-APP has occurred, that is if the transmission of the maintenance messages SAC interrupted is. In this case, can be selected whether the connection - Communication - Between the respective application APP-ACD, APP-G, APP-T and the private branch exchange PBX (Hicom) terminated or whether the respective application APP-ACD, APP-G, APP-T restarted becomes. Furthermore, a notification function be activated or deactivated. In cases where a termination the communication between the respective application APP-ACD, APP-G, APP-T and the private branch exchange PBX is provided, additional communications-system-specific Functions are activated. Thus, in the present Embodiment in case of failure of the server device SE application running APP-ACD into the Private branch exchange PBX-implemented application APP-UCD activated and a distribution of the communication system PBX incoming calls realized by this application APP-UCD. This is particularly useful for applications APP-ACD, noted the failure of a participant not immediately becomes.

Upon activation of the alert function is a Text - for example, "application has failed!" - Be entered, the submitted in a notification to a subscriber becomes. Furthermore, the type of notification can be set. So can be selected to provide a notification window ( 'Message box') on a display device, for example a Monitor, the server device SE or a data processing device DV1, ..., DVn appears, or that a SMS (<u>S</u>nursery <u>M</u>essage <u>S</u>transmitted ervice) to an enterable number becomes. In the present embodiment, both an alert box with the text "Application has failed! "on a display device of the affected Server device SE or data processing device DV1, ..., DVn displayed as a text message to the communications-system-internal Terminal transmitted with the telephone number 2868th In this way, a subscriber is immediately above a failure or malfunction of an application APP-ACD, APP-G, APP-T informed, so that the participants may may also take necessary measures.