Communication system and device that provides service independent communication bridging

1. A method of operating a communication system, the method comprising:

executing a first software application in a bridge agent to translate a first bridge request into a first bridge command;

transferring the first bridge command from the bridge agent to a first communication device wherein the first communication device receives the first bridge command through a first physical port dedicated to bridge control;

processing the first bridge command in the first communication device to implement a first bridge;

executing a second software application in the bridge agent to translate a second bridge request into a second bridge command;

transferring the second bridge command from the bridge agent to a second communication device; and

processing the second bridge command in the second communication device to implement a second bridge.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising automatically transferring the first software application from the first communication device to the bridge agent in response to an operational control channel between the first communication device and the bridge agent.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the first bridge copies all user communications transferred from a first user to a link and transfers the copies to the bridge agent.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the first bridge copies all user communications transferred from a link to a first user and transfers the copies to the bridge agent.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the first bridge transfers agent communications from the bridge agent to a first user.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the first communication device and the second communication device are from different manufacturers.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the first bridge request and the second bridge request have the same format and the first bridge command and the second bridge command have different formats.

8. A method of operating a communication device, the method comprising:

automatically transferring a software application from the communication device to a bridge agent in response to an operational control channel between the communication device and the bridge agent;

receiving a bridge command from the bridge agent into the communication device through a physical port dedicated to bridge control; and

processing the bridge command in the communication device to implement a bridge.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the bridge copies all user communications transferred from a user to a link and transfers the copies to the bridge agent.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein the bridge copies all user communications transferred from a link to a user and transfers the copies to the bridge agent.

11. The method of claim 8 wherein the bridge transfers agent communications from the bridge agent to a user.

12. A communication system comprising:

a bridge agent configured to execute a first software application to translate a first bridge request into a first bridge command and transfer the first bridge command, and to execute a second software application to translate a second bridge request into a second bridge command and transfer the second bridge command;

a first communication device configured to receive the first bridge command through a first physical port dedicated to bridge control and process the first bridge command to implement a first bridge; and

a second communication device configured to receive the second bridge command through a second physical port dedicated to bridge control and process the second bridge command to implement a second bridge.

13. The communication system of claim 12 wherein the first communication device is configured to automatically transfer the first software application to the bridge agent in response to an operational control channel between the first communication device and the bridge agent.

14. The communication system of claim 12 wherein the first bridge copies all user communications transferred from a first user to a link and transfers the copies to the bridge agent.

15. The communication system of claim 12 wherein the first bridge copies all user communications transferred from a link to a first user and transfers the copies to the bridge agent.

16. The communication system of claim 12 wherein the first bridge transfers agent communications from the bridge agent to a first user.

17. The communication system of claim 12 wherein the first communication device and the second communication device are from different manufacturers.

18. The communication system of claim 12 wherein the first bridge request and the second bridge request have the same format and the first bridge command and the second bridge command have different formats.

19. A communication device comprising:

a physical port dedicated to a bridge agent; and

a bridge control coupled to the physical port and configured to automatically transfer a software application to the bridge agent in response to an operational control channel between the physical port and the bridge agent, and to receive and process a bridge command to generate control signals; and

a communication fabric configured to implement a bridge in response to the control signals.

20. The communication device of claim 19 wherein the bridge copies all user communications transferred from a user to a link and transfers the copies to the bridge agent.

21. The communication device of claim 19 wherein the bridge copies all user communications transferred from a link to a user and transfers the copies to the bridge agent.

22. The communication device of claim 19 wherein the bridge transfers agent communications from the bridge agent to a user.