Importance

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Abstract

A gateway apparatus connects a packet-switched network to a PSTN, the packet-switched network having a plurality of information terminals connected thereto. The gateway apparatus includes a recognition operation, an incoming call notification operation and a connection operation. The gateway operates (or is configured) to recognize information terminals on the packet-switched network. The incoming call notification operation notifies all the recognized information terminals of an incoming call upon reception of an incoming call from the PSTN. The connection operation connects the PSTN to an information terminal that has responded to the incoming call notification first. An incoming call notification may be sent to all or a plurality of the information terminals on the packet-switched network in a point-to-multipoint communication using a broadcast address or a multi-cast address. Source-identifying information and destination telephone numbers on the PSTN may be allotted to the information terminals in advance so that the destination of an incoming call notification can be specified. Additionally, a telephone message recorder terminal may be used to receive incoming calls when no other terminal responds to the incoming call.

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First Claim