Abstract: The present invention allows characteristics of individual distributed telephone sets to be controlled by a central telephone switch. In one embodiment, configuration files are stored locally on the phone set, but control of the configuration files is provided by the phone switch. Alternatively, configurations files may be stored on the phone switch. When modifying the configurations of a particular phone set, the phone switch dynamically determines the options that are available based on factors such as phone set model and additional hardware connected to the phone set. The phone switch provides a menu or other means for modifying characteristics of the phone set. The menu provides options only for characteristics available on the phone set. The user of the phone set interacts with the menu to confirm or modify the characteristics of particular phone set.

Abstract: A display screen manager and management method is disclosed, along with a storage and management system, media, computer and terminal incorporating the same. The disclosed screen manager will be capable of accessing a plurality of screen objects, each defining at least one screen displayable on a display unit of a terminal or device. Each screen object will include both data and procedures for painting the actual screen, defining the role of any softkeys, and handling user input and other messages directed to the screen object while it is being displayed to the user. The screen manager will also include a stack data structure for retaining the active screen object at the top of the stack (i.e. the screen object defining the active screen being displayed) as well as dormant (i.e. previously active and unretired) screen objects invoked as the user interacts with the terminal. Dormant screen objects will also be retained in the stack positioned in an invocation order as the user traverses the screen hierarchy.