Communications subsystem for computer-based conferencing system using both ISDN B channels for transmission

In a communications (comm) subsystem for a computer conferencing system, a method for transmitting data over a communications network having N physical channels, where N is an integer greater than 1, the method comprising the steps of:

• (a) dividing each of a plurality of local data messages of either a first data type or a second data type into a number of local data packets divisible by N, regardless of the size of said each local data message, by dividing each local data message into N*J integral local data packets and N*K fractional data packets, so that the data packets of each local data message can be evenly distributed over the N physical channels, wherein:
• J is a non-negative integer;
• the size of each of the N*J integral local data packets is equal to a maximum local data packet size;
• K is 0 only if the size of the local data message is exactly equal to N*J integral local data packets, and when the size of the local data message is not an even multiple of the maximum local data packet size then K is 1 and the size of each of the fractional local data packets is less than the maximum local data packet size;
• and
• the first data type has a higher priority level than the second data type;
• (b) distributing the integral and fractional local data packets of the first and second data types evenly to the two physical channels for transmission to a remote computer conferencing system and based on the priority levels of the first and second data types such that transmission of the local data packets of the first data type interrupts transmission of the local data packets of the second data type, whereby transmission of the local data packets of the first data type interrupts transmission of the local data packets of the second data type without causing loss of synchronization in the transmission of the local data packets of the second data type.