Automatic ISDN switch

Abstract

An automatic ISDN switch for connection to at least one ISDN-BRI line and a plurality of different videoconferencing locations for automatically switching the at least one ISDN-BRI line to one videoconferencing location of the plurality of different videoconferencing locations, comprising: a control unit for being placed in circuit communication with each of the plurality of different videoconferencing locations, the control unit generating a location signal corresponding to a particular one videoconferencing location of the plurality of videoconferencing locations; and a switch bank in circuit communication with the control unit for receiving the location signal, for being placed in circuit communication with the plurality of different videoconferencing locations, and further for being placed in circuit communication with the at least one ISDN-BRI line, said switch bank automatically switching the at least one ISDN-BRI line to the particular one videoconferencing location of the plurality of videoconferencing locations corresponding to the location signal generated by the control unit. In one embodiment of the present invention, an automatic ISDN switch automatically determines the location of the target videoconferencing location and switches the incoming ISDN-BRI lines to the target location without requiring any manual routing of ISDN-BRI lines. In another embodiment of the present invention, an automatic ISDN switch is in circuit communication with an external communication device via a communications link, with which a user causes the switch to automatically switch the incoming ISDN-BRI lines to the target location without requiring any manual routing of ISDN-BRI lines. Both embodiments eliminate the need for manual patch panels and dedicated, costly ISDN-BRI lines to all locations.

We claim:  
     
         1 . An automatic ISDN switch for connection to at least one ISDN-BRI line and a plurality of N different videoconferencing locations via other lines for automatically switching the at least one ISDN-BRI line to one of the other lines corresponding to one videoconferencing location of the plurality of N different videoconferencing locations, comprising: 
 (a) a control unit having a communications circuit, said control unit for being placed in circuit communication with each of the plurality of N different videoconferencing locations, said control unit generating a location signal corresponding to a particular one videoconferencing location of the plurality of N videoconferencing locations, said communications circuit generating a communications link through which a user can remotely select which one of the N different videoconferencing locations to which the at least one ISDN-BRI line is to be switched, said control unit being capable of autodetecting which one of the N different videoconferencing locations to which the at least one ISDN-BRI line is to be switched and said control unit also being capable of accepting via said communications circuit the identity of which one of the N different videoconferencing locations the user has selected the at least one ISDN-BRI line to be switched to; and    (b) a switch bank in circuit communication with said control unit for receiving the location signal, for being placed in circuit communication with the plurality of different videoconferencing locations via the other lines, and further for being placed in circuit communication with the at least one ISDN-BRI line, said switch bank automatically switching the at least one ISDN-BRI line to the particular one videoconferencing location of the plurality of N videoconferencing locations corresponding to the location signal generated by the control unit.    
     
     
         2 . The automatic ISDN switch of  claim 1 , wherein said communications circuit implements a uniform resource locator (URL) and a user can use a web browser to remotely select via the URL which one of the N different videoconferencing locations to which the at least one ISDN-BRI line is to be switched by said control unit and said switch bank.  
     
     
         3 . The automatic ISDN switch of  claim 1 , 
 (a) wherein said communications circuit implements a uniform resource locator (URL) and a user can use a web browser to remotely select via the URL which one of the N different videoconferencing locations to which the at least one ISDN-BRI line is to be switched by said control unit and said switch bank; and    (b) wherein each of the plurality of N different videoconferencing locations comprises an ISDN receptacle, each of said plurality of ISDN receptacles for being placed in circuit communication with said control unit via one of the other lines; and    (c) wherein said control unit generates the location signal corresponding to the particular one of N videoconferencing locations responsive to an ISDN connector being inserted into the ISDN receptacle in the particular one videoconferencing location.