Abstract: The present invention seeks to provide a bridge between traditional TDM PBX/KTS messaging and current IP-based messaging, allowing effective deployment of a hosted service in a transitional network that still requires TDM access via the PSTN. According to the present invention, the centralized messaging system of the prior art is decomposed into a back end cluster and a plurality of telephony access nodes (TANs). Each of the TANs will: terminate media and call processing from an associated local telephony switch; contain the service logic for the messaging application; and interact with the back end cluster. This provision permits a user to perform communications on a local telephony access node without making a call over the public switched network. However, a switch is also provided at each telephony access node to permit user access to the telephony access node.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing multi-channel telephony multimedia services. A multi-tasking DSP processes a plurality of multimedia services for a plurality of telephone channels. The DSP operates in conjunction with a host processor. The host processor indicates to the DSP, in real-time, the services required for a channel. The DSP in response allocates a portion of its fast memory in which a program is stored comprising the multimedia services routines required for the channel. The multimedia services program stored in the portion of fast memory allocated to a channel is then utilized to process the incoming channel signal data. The processed signal data is then output to memory shared between the DSP and the host processor. The portion of memory and the program for each channel can be dynamically reconfigured in real-time on a per channel basis.