Patent ID: 7257217

Claim:
An Automatic Call Distribution (ACD) controller arranged to be coupled through at least one packet-based network to a plurality of remote telephone stations and one or more attendant telephone stations, the ACD controller comprising: call reception logic that controls establishment of telephone sessions between the remote telephone stations and the one or more attendant telephone stations; and wherein the call reception logic operates to: receive call initiation signals from a particular one of the remote telephone, stations send control signals to the particular remote telephone station indicating the ACD controller will control a user interface comprising a display screen within the particular remote telephone station, monitor if an attendant availability parameter is met; if the attendant availability parameter is not met, to send at least one data information message comprising a display screen message to the particular remote telephone station via the at least one packet-based network; and, if the attendant availability parameter is met, to establish an audio channel between the particular remote telephone station and a particular one of the one or more attendant telephone stations, and query capabilities of the particular remote telephone station prior to sending the data information message, a format for the data information message being determined based upon the capabilities of the particular remote telephone station.