Patent ID: 6445682
Filing Date: 2002-09-03
Classification: H04L,H04M,H04Q

Abstract:
In a system for managing voice and data communications of an office, the office having a plurality of computers coupled to the system over one or more packet buses, wherein data are transmitted over the one or more packet buses in packets, and a plurality of telephones coupled to the system, wherein the system provides voice and data communications to a plurality of users in the office, wherein associated with each of at least certain users is at least one computer and at least one telephone, wherein the system is coupled to at least one telecommunications network, a method for remotely changing the configuration of a digital transmission link coupled to the system, the method comprising the steps of:operating the system in accordance with a first configuration of the digital transmission link, wherein voice and data communications concurrently occur over the digital transmission link in accordance with the first configuration, wherein the voice and data communications are coupled to the digital transmission link via over one or more TDM buses in the system, wherein data are transmitted over the one or more TDM buses in frames, each of the frames having a plurality of slots for transmitting data, wherein a switch/multiplexer selectively couples data to and from particular slots of the frames, wherein, in accordance with the first configuration, voice communications that stay in a circuit-switched form in the system occur over the one or more TDM buses and the digital transmission link, and wherein packet-based data communications are protocol-processed and selectively coupled to the digital transmission link via the one or more TDM buses; establishing a communication link between the system and a remote computer at a location remote from the system; displaying on the remote computer a window, wherein the window includes a representation of a plurality of channels of the digital transmission link, wherein the representation includes for the plurality of channels areas for configuring attributes of the channels, wherein, in response to selecting a group of the channels with a pointing device coupled to the remote computer and in response to a command input to the remote computer, a second configuration of the digital transmission link is displayed on the remote computer, wherein one or more attributes of the selected group of channels for the digital transmission link are changed in response to the group selection and to the command input to the remote computer, wherein the second configuration is different from the first configuration; and transmitting commands from the remote computer to the system over the communication link, wherein one or more attributes of the selected group of channels for the digital transmission link are configured in accordance with the second configuration; in response to the commands from the remote computer, operating the system in accordance with the second configuration of the digital transmission link, wherein voice and data communications concurrently occur over the digital transmission link in accordance with the second configuration, wherein the digital transmission link operates in accordance with the second configuration, wherein, in accordance with the second configuration, voice communications that stay in a circuit-switched form in the system occur over the one or more TDM buses and the digital transmission link, and wherein packet-based data communications are protocol-processed and selectively coupled to the digital transmission link via the one or more TDM buses.