Patent ID: 7039703

Claim:
A system for dynamically modifying functionality in a configurable communications protocol stack, comprising: a system controller operable to communicate new protocol stack software to an interface device for purposes of modifying existing protocol stack software operating on the interface device; and the interface device, coupled to a plurality of telephony resources and operable to: operate a protocol stack comprising the existing protocol stack software, the existing protocol stack software operable to process events associated with connections initiated subsequent to the existing protocol stack software being activated for new connections; receive the new protocol stack software from the system controller, the new protocol stack software operable to process events associated with connections initiated subsequent to the new protocol stack software being activated for new connections; activate the new protocol stack software for new connections, the existing protocol stack software continuing to process all events associated with connections initiated before the new protocol stack software was activated, the new protocol stack software processing all events associated with connections initiated the new protocol stack software was activated; and remove the existing protocol stack software upon completion of all connections initiated before the new protocol stack software was activated, services provided to the telephony resources being substantially uninterrupted by the modification.