Abstract: The installation wizard tool comprises a singular tool that guides the service technician in an ordered manner through the entire installation of an integrated voice-data telecommunications system while also integrating the data obtained from auto-discovery, diagnostics, and customization activities, which tasks are all performed with a single tool, via a common service technician interface. The installation wizard tool is capable of enabling the service technician to complete the installation of an integrated voice-data telecommunications system to the point of functional station-to-station and/or station-to-trunk calling. The service technician only is required to input data that the installation wizard tool cannot discover on its own, or that the service technician desires to change from the default settings. These changes can be implemented without invoking other applications.

Abstract: A telecommunications system infrastructure that facilitates easy insertion of feature software into existing such telecommunications systems and easy integration of the new calling features and their implementing software with existing features and their software. The infrastructure comprises the Lucent Technologies MMCX multimedia communications server (100) and middleware-compliant communications endpoints (101-102) executing the Lucent Technologies MMCX communications middleware (111-112). Feature-implementing software has a modular client/server construction, with feature managers (server modules, 300,350) executing on the MMCX server and feature administration agents (client modules, 303-353, 304-354) executing on the endpoints.

Abstract: A distributed control arrangement for a multi-mode circuit-switching or circuit- and packet-switching system avoids disadvantages attendant to a centralized control center and offers flexibility in the sourcing of communication-routing information. The switching system communicatively interconnects a plurality of communication endpoints, such as PBXs, and includes a plurality of circuit-switching units interconnected with each other and with the endpoints by at least one communication medium. Control is effected through a plurality of logical links of the LAPD communication protocol, one of which extends through the medium between each pair of adjacent units and of adjacent unit and endpoint. Each unit is responsive to receipt of a messeage that specifies a route of a circuit-switched communication path through the system, including through the receiving unit.

Abstract: In a packet network, each data packet that is transported through the network to a destination node is assigned one of 2**N priority levels based on the type of information contained in the data packet. A data packet containing system control information is assigned the highest priority level. A data packet containing, for example, user information, is assigned a lower priority level. In addition, each priority level is associated with a respective "watermark" threshold. When a data packet arrives at a network node, the node compares the packet's associated watermark threshold with the number of data words currently stored in a common memory. The node rejects the packet if the watermark threshold is found to be less than that number to reserve space in the memory for data packets of higher priority. Otherwise, the data packet is stored in the common memory.

Abstract: A flow control mechanism for a packet switching system that provides for the continuous dynamic control of station window size beginning with call setup and extending through the duration of the call. A station window size can be of a first magnitude at call setup time when system traffic may be low. The window size can be subsequently reduced to free up port buffer space as system traffic increases. This permits the serving of more calls during periods of heavy traffic.

Abstract: A distributed packet switching system in which a centralized switch is not used and, instead, each transmitting port contains the intelligence required to derive and then insert the destination port and station addresses into the header of each packet to be transmitted by the port. The port circuitry that derives the destination addresses operates under control of a central controller which, prior to the setup of each call, receives information identifying the transmitting port and calling station as well as the destination station number dialed at the calling station. The controller processes this data to derive the destination port and station addresses. The derived addresses are sent to and stored in a RAM in the transmitting port. The RAM outputs the destination port and station addresses for each packet subsequently transmitted by the port on the call.

Abstract: In a communication switching system controlled by a control processor, line port circuit connections are served by line call processing algorithms and trunk port circuit connections are served by trunk call processing algorithms. Trunk call processing algorithms offer the user a wide variety of call processing features and system management capabilities which are not included in normal line call processing algorithms. Host computer interconnections are typically established between digital line port circuits and therefore, host interconnections are administered by line call processing algorithms which offer only a limited set of services. To provide trunk services for host computer interconnections, an auxiliary algorithm has been added to the normal line call processing algorithms to interlink line to trunk call processing. In particular, when a host computer is served, the normal line call processing algorithm branches to the auxiliary algorithm.