Patent ID: 7688964

Claim:
A telecommunications system comprising a computer network comprising a server computer ( 1 ) having a number of client computers ( 2 , 3 , 4 ), a private branch exchange ( 5 ) connected directly to the server computer ( 1 ), a number of telecommunications devices ( 6 , 7 , 8 ) connected to the private branch exchange, and a communications module for communicating between the computer network ( 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ) and the private branch exchange ( 5 ), each telecommunications device being associated with a respective client computer, wherein the communications module is arranged and adapted so as: a. to store data representing the current state of programming of the private branch exchange ( 5 ), the data including private branch exchange state data representing the state of the private branch exchange, the state data including device data specific to each telecommunications device ( 6 , 7 , 8 ); b. to receive commands from the computer network ( 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ) relevant to the programming of the private branch exchange, said arrangement and adaptation of said communications module being such that commands relating to device data specific to each telecommunications device ( 6 , 7 , 8 ) are distinguished from commands relating to state data other than such device data, with commands relating to the state data other than the device data being receivable only from the server computer ( 1 ) and commands relating to the device data being additionally receivable from the respective client computer associated with a particular telecommunications device; c. to translate the commands ( 13 ) received from the computer network into commands suitable for programming the private branch exchange ( 5 ); and d. to send the commands ( 14 ) suitable for programming the private branch exchange to the private branch exchange ( 5 ) so as to effect programming of the private branch exchange; whereby the data stored by the communications module is consistent with the data representing the current state of programming of the private branch exchange.