Module firmware recovery

A network access server (NAS) for use in a communications system having a first communications device coupled to communicate through a public switching telephone network (PSTN), and a second communications device, coupled to communicate through a packet switching network, the NAS including processors for transferring communications information between the first and the second communications devices wherein the processors require upgrading or recovery comprising:

• a modem card coupled to receive telephone calls and operative to generate processed telephone calls including,
• one or more modules, each module having a module controller, a memory block and a plurality of digital signal processors for executing code, stored in the memory block, to perform various tasks, the module controller coupled to the plurality of digital signal processors for attempting recovery, during upgrading or recovery, of one or more of the digital signal processors of a particular module having been designated as ‘bad’,
• wherein the impact of recovery or upgrade of the digital signal processors to the users is minimized while the overall system capacity is maximized.

A network access server (NAS) for use in a communications system having a first communications device coupled to communicate through a public switching telephone network (PSTN), and a second communications device, coupled to communicate through a packet switching network, the NAS including processors for transferring communications information between the first and the second communications devices wherein the processors require upgrading or recovery comprising:

• means for receiving telephone calls and generating processed telephone calls including,
• module means including one or more modules, each module having a module controller, a memory block and a plurality at digital signal processors for executing code, stored in the memory block, to perform various tasks, the module controller coupled to the plurality of digital signal processors for attempting recovery during upgrading or recovery of one or more of the digital signal processors of a particular module having been designated as ‘bad’,
• wherein the impact of recovery or upgrade of the digital signal processors to the users is minimized while the overall system capacity is maximized.