Communication system having reconfigurable data terminals

A controller adapted for controlling a communication system including a terminal and a plurality of communication devices switchably connectable to said terminal, said controller comprising

• means for receiving any one of a group of terminal reconfiguration signals from said terminal each identifying a specific reconfiguration request at said terminal and
• means responsive solely to said reconfiguration signal for selecting and transmitting a predetermined terminal reconfiguration command to said terminal including parameter data specifying an operating parameter to be reconfigured in accordance with said specific reconfiguration request, said selecting and transmitting means operable prior to establishing communication between said terminal and one of said plurality of communication devices specified in said specific reconfiguration request.

A method of reconfiguring a communication system including a terminal, a system controller and a plurality of communication devices switchably connectable to said terminal, comprising the steps of:

• generating and transmitting one of a group of reconfiguration signals to said controller identifying one of said plurality of communication devices,
• selecting a predetermined parameter solely in response to one of said group of reconfiguration signals and transmitting it from said controller to said terminal in a predetermined terminal reconfiguration command, said selecting and transmitting step operable prior to said controller establishing communication between said terminal and one of said plurality of communication devices specified in said one of a group of reconfiguration signals, and
• reconfiguring an operating parameter at said terminal in response to said predetermined reconfiguration command.

A communication terminal for use in a telephone communication system including a plurality of communication devices and a system controller for controlling connection between said terminal and one of said plurality of communication devices, said terminal comprising

• means for generating and transmitting to the telephone system controller one of a group of reconfiguration signals each identifying a specific reconfiguration request requesting an operating parameter required for operating said terminal and
• means responsive to a predetermined terminal reconfiguration command received from said telephone system controller after a communication connection is established thereto, said reconfiguration command received in response to said one of a group of reconfiguration signals including data for reconfiguring an operating parameter of said terminal in accordance with said reconfiguration command.