CA1295750C
Expired / Lapsed
CA
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Terminal switching unit for a plurality of maintenance systems
Assignee: GTE Communication Systems Corp
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Filing: 1987-11-06
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Granted: 1992-02-11
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Expires: 2007-11-06
Abstract
Abstract A TERMINAL SWITCHING UNIT FOR A PLURALITY OF MAINTENANCE SYSTEMS ABSTRACT OF THE INVENTION A system is shown for interfacing between a work station or intelligent terminal device and a number of maintainable telecommunication systems. The system provides for interfacing between an intelligent CRT terminal and up to 26 remotely located maintenance processor units. This system provides the CRT attendant or crafts person with the ability to trouble-shoot or perform diagnostic testing upon a maintenance processor unit which is remotely located. In addition, the work station or intelligent terminal may be remotely located from the interface circuitry. This system establishes a connection between the work station or intelligent terminal and a particular maintenance processor unit. Once that connection is established, the maintenance processor unit of that telecommunications system reports diagnostic and trouble-shooting type information. This system also provides for manual reset and self test capabilities. This system provides for a variable BAUD rate which may be preprogrammed into a microcontroller device.
Inventors
- 👤 Salim M. Khan
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
CA
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-28 23:43
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04Q; H04Q1/00; H04Q1/18; H04Q1/20; H04Q1/22; H04Q1/26
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 21
Claim 1
Independent Claim
466 words
A terminal switching unit for a plurality of maintenance systems comprising: intelligent terminal means including at least one local intelligent terminal means and at least one remote intelligent terminal means, said local and said remote intelligent terminal means each operated to transmit commands and to receive and display data; said remote intelligent terminal means including, first modem means connected to said remote intelligent terminal means and to a transmission line, said first modem means arranged to transmit said commands from said remote intelligent terminal means to said transmission line and to receive said data from said transmission line and to transmit said data to said remote intelligent terminal means; a plurality of switching and transmission systems and a plurality of maintenance processor unit means, each switching and transmission system including one corresponding maintenance processor unit means, each maintenance processor unit means arranged to perform diagnostic testing of said corresponding switching and transmission system responsive to said command, and to transmit said data gathered during the diagnostic testing of said corresponding switching and transmission system; switching means including second modem means con-nected to said switching means and to said transmission line, said second modem means arranged to transmit said data from said switching means to said transmission line and to receive said commands from said transmission line, said switching means further connected to said local intelligent terminal means and each of said plurality of maintenance processor unit means, said switching means operable to analyze said commands transmitted by said local intelligent terminal means and to connect one of said plurality of maintenance processor unit means to said local intelligent terminal means for facilitating the transfer of said data from the connected maintenance processor unit means to said local intelligent terminal means, and alternatively said switching means further operable to analyze said commands transmitted by said remote intelligent terminal means and to connect one other of said plurality of maintenance processor unit means to said remote intelligent terminal means for facilitating the transfer of said data from the connected maintenance processor unit means to said remote intelligent terminal means; said switching means being further operated in re-sponse to said commands to transmit said commands from said local intelligent terminal means to the connected maintenance processor unit means and alternatively, to transmit said commands from said remote intelligent terminal means to the connected maintenance processor unit means; and and in response to said commands from said local intelligent terminal means the connected maintenance processor unit performs said diagnostic testing of said corresponding switching and transmission system, transmitting said data to said switching means and alternatively,, in response to said commands from said intelligent terminal means the connected maintenance processor unit means performs said diagnostic testing of said corresponding switching and transmission system transmitting said data to said switching means.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
466 words
A terminal switching unit for a plurality of maintenance systems comprising: intelligent terminal means including at least one local intelligent terminal means and at least one remote intelligent terminal means, said local and said remote intelligent terminal means each operated to transmit commands and to receive and display data; said remote intelligent terminal means including, first modem means connected to said remote intelligent terminal means and to a transmission line, said first modem means arranged to transmit said commands from said remote intelligent terminal means to said transmission line and to receive said data from said transmission line and to transmit said data to said remote intelligent terminal means; a plurality of switching and transmission systems and a plurality of maintenance processor unit means, each switching and transmission system including one corresponding maintenance processor unit means, each maintenance processor unit means arranged to perform diagnostic testing of said corresponding switching and transmission system responsive to said command, and to transmit said data gathered during the diagnostic testing of said corresponding switching and transmission system; switching means including second modem means con-nected to said switching means and to said transmission line, said second modem means arranged to transmit said data from said switching means to said transmission line and to receive said commands from said transmission line, said switching means further connected to said local intelligent terminal means and each of said plurality of maintenance processor unit means, said switching means operable to analyze said commands transmitted by said local intelligent terminal means and to connect one of said plurality of maintenance processor unit means to said local intelligent terminal means for facilitating the transfer of said data from the connected maintenance processor unit means to said local intelligent terminal means, and alternatively said switching means further operable to analyze said commands transmitted by said remote intelligent terminal means and to connect one other of said plurality of maintenance processor unit means to said remote intelligent terminal means for facilitating the transfer of said data from the connected maintenance processor unit means to said remote intelligent terminal means; said switching means being further operated in re-sponse to said commands to transmit said commands from said local intelligent terminal means to the connected maintenance processor unit means and alternatively, to transmit said commands from said remote intelligent terminal means to the connected maintenance processor unit means; and and in response to said commands from said local intelligent terminal means the connected maintenance processor unit performs said diagnostic testing of said corresponding switching and transmission system, transmitting said data to said switching means and alternatively,, in response to said commands from said intelligent terminal means the connected maintenance processor unit means performs said diagnostic testing of said corresponding switching and transmission system transmitting said data to said switching means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
67 words
A terminal switching unit as claimed in claim 1, said switching means including receiver/transmitter means connected to said local intelligent terminal means and to said second modem means, said receiver/transmitter means being operated in response to commands from said local and said remote intelligent terminal means to transmit parallel data in response to received serial data and to transmit serial data in response to received parallel data.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
78 words
A terminal switching unit as claimed in claim 2, said switching means further including controller means connected to said receiver/transmitter means, said controller means being operated in response to parallel data of said receiver/transmitter means to analyze said command for selecting one of said plurality of mainte-nance processor unit means, said controller means being further operated in response to said data of said one connected maintenance processor unit means to transmit said parallel data to said receiver/transmitter means.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
89 words
A terminal switching unit as claimed in claim 3, said switching means further including: bidirectional ink means connected to said controller means, said bidirectional link means being operated to transmit said commands and receive said data to and from said controller means; and relay means connected between said bidirectional link means and each of said plurality of maintenance processor unit means, said relay means being operated in response to said controller means to connect said one maintenance processor unit means to said controller means via said bidirectional link means.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
49 words
A terminal switching unit as claimed in claim 4, said switching means further including latching means connected to said controller means via an address bus, said latching means being operated in response to an ad-dress transmitted on said address bus by said controller means to store said transmitted address.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
49 words
A terminal switching unit as claimed in claim 5, said switching means further including first memory means connected to said latching means and to said controller means via a data bus, said first memory means being operated to store data transmitted from said controller means via said data bus.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
18 words
A terminal switching unit as claimed in claim 6, said first memory means including random access memory means.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
50 words
A terminal switching unit as claimed in claim 6, said switching means further including second memory means connected to said first memory means and to said controller means, said second memory means being operated to store and transmit program code instructions to said controller means for operating said controller means.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
20 words
A terminal switching unit as claimed in claim 8, said second memory means including electronically programmable read only memory means.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
39 words
A terminal switching unit as claimed in claim 8, said switching means further including clock means connected to said controller means and to said receiver/ transmitter means, said clock means being operated to produce a plurality of periodic signals.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
72 words
A terminal switching unit as claimed in claim 10, said switching means further including timer means connected to said clock means and to said receiver/ transmitter means, said timer means being operated in response to one of said plurality of periodic signals of said clock means to transmit one of a plurality of proto-col signals to said receiver/transmitter means for op-erating said receiver/transmitter means at one of a plu-rality of BAUD rates.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
57 words
A terminal switching unit as claimed in claim 11, said switching means further including watch dog means connected to said clock means and to said con-troller means, said watch dog means being operated in re-sponse to an absence of a periodic first signal of said controller means to produce a second signal for resetting said controller means.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
80 words
A terminal switching unit as claimed in claim 12, wherein there is further included indicator means connected to said controller means; said indicator means including: first lamp means for indicating an alarm status of said remote maintenance system; second lamp means for indicating and active operation of said remote maintenance system; third lamp means for indicating an active operation of said remote intelligent terminal means; and fourth lamp means for indicating a power status condition of said remote maintenance system.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
59 words
A terminal switching unit as claimed in claim 13, wherein there is further included manual input means connected to said controller means, said manual input means including: first pushbutton means being operated to generate a signal to reset said remote maintenance system; and second pushbutton means being operated to generate a signal for self testing said remote maintenance system.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
27 words
A terminal switching unit as claimed in claim 14, wherein there is further included connector means for connecting said local intelligent terminal means to said receiver/transmitter means.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
62 words
A terminal switching unit as claimed in claim 15, wherein there is further included power converter means connected to said controller means and to said in-dicator means, said power converter means being operated in response to a power input signal of a first or a sec-ond DC voltage level to produce power output signals of third, fourth and fifth DC voltage levels.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
301 words
A terminal switching unit for a plurality of maintenance systems comprising: intelligent terminal means including at least one local intelligent terminal means said local intelligent terminal means operated to transmit commands and to receiver and display data; a plurality of switching and transmission systems and a plurality of maintenance processor unit means, each switching and transmission system including one corresponding maintenance processor unit means, each maintenance processor unit means arranged to perform diagnostic testing of said corresponding switching and transmission system responsive to said commands, and to transmit said data gathered during the diagnostic testing of said corresponding switching and transmission system; switching means connected to said local intelligent terminal means, and each of said plurality of maintenance processor unit means, said switching means including controller means arranged to analyze the commands transmitted by said local intelligent terminal means, bidirectional link means connected to said controller means for transmitting said commands and receiving said data to and from said controller means, and relay means connected between said bidirectional link means and each of said plurality of maintenance processor unit means, and responsive to said commands from said local intelligent terminal means said relay means are operated by said controller means to connect a maintenance processor unit means to said local remote intelligent terminal means for facilitating the transfer of said data from said connected maintenance processor unit means to said local intelligent terminal means; said switching means being further operated in re-sponse to said commands to transmit said commands from said local intelligent terminal means to the connected maintenance processor unit means; and said maintenance processor unit means operated in response to said commands from said local intelligent terminal means to perform said diagnostic testing of said corresponding switching and transmission system and to transit said data to said switching means.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
301 words
A terminal switching unit for a plurality of maintenance systems comprising: intelligent terminal means including at least one local intelligent terminal means said local intelligent terminal means operated to transmit commands and to receiver and display data; a plurality of switching and transmission systems and a plurality of maintenance processor unit means, each switching and transmission system including one corresponding maintenance processor unit means, each maintenance processor unit means arranged to perform diagnostic testing of said corresponding switching and transmission system responsive to said commands, and to transmit said data gathered during the diagnostic testing of said corresponding switching and transmission system; switching means connected to said local intelligent terminal means, and each of said plurality of maintenance processor unit means, said switching means including controller means arranged to analyze the commands transmitted by said local intelligent terminal means, bidirectional link means connected to said controller means for transmitting said commands and receiving said data to and from said controller means, and relay means connected between said bidirectional link means and each of said plurality of maintenance processor unit means, and responsive to said commands from said local intelligent terminal means said relay means are operated by said controller means to connect a maintenance processor unit means to said local remote intelligent terminal means for facilitating the transfer of said data from said connected maintenance processor unit means to said local intelligent terminal means; said switching means being further operated in re-sponse to said commands to transmit said commands from said local intelligent terminal means to the connected maintenance processor unit means; and said maintenance processor unit means operated in response to said commands from said local intelligent terminal means to perform said diagnostic testing of said corresponding switching and transmission system and to transit said data to said switching means.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
395 words
A terminal switching unit for a plurality of remote maintenance systems comprising: intelligent terminal means including at least one remote intelligent terminal means operated to transmit commands and to receive and display data, said remote intelligent terminal means including, first modem meas connected to said remote intelligent terminal means and to a transmission line, said first modem means arranged to transmit said commands from said remote intelligent terminal means to said transmission line and to receive said data from said transmission line and to transmit said data to said remote intelligent terminal means; a plurality of switching and transmission systems and a plurality of maintenance processor unit means, each switching and transmission system including one corresponding maintenance processor unit means, each maintenance processor unit means arranged to perform diagnostic testing of said corresponding switching and transmission system responsive to said commands, and to transmit said data gathered during the diagnostic testing of said corresponding switching and transmission system; switching means including second modem means con-nected to said switching means and to said transmission line, said second modem means arranged to transmit said data from said switching means to said transmission line and to receive said commands from said transmission line, and said switching means further connected to each of said plurality of maintenance processor unit means, said switching means including controller means arranged to analyze the commands transmitted by said remote intel-ligent terminal means bidirectional link means connected to said controller means for transmitting said commands and receiving said data to and from said controller means, and relay means connected between said bidirectional link means and each of said plurality of maintenance processor unit means and responsive to said commands from said remote intelligent terminal means said relay means are operated by said controller means to connect a maintenance processor unit means to said remote intelligent terminal means for facilitating the transfer of said data from said connected maintenance processor unit means to said remote intelligent terminal means; said switching means being further operated in re-sponse to said commands to transmit said commands from said remote intelligent terminal means to the connected maintenance processor unit means; and said maintenance processor unit means operated in response to said commands from said remote intelligent terminal means to perform said diagnostic testing of said corresponding switching and transmission system and to transmit said data to said switching means.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
395 words
A terminal switching unit for a plurality of remote maintenance systems comprising: intelligent terminal means including at least one remote intelligent terminal means operated to transmit commands and to receive and display data, said remote intelligent terminal means including, first modem meas connected to said remote intelligent terminal means and to a transmission line, said first modem means arranged to transmit said commands from said remote intelligent terminal means to said transmission line and to receive said data from said transmission line and to transmit said data to said remote intelligent terminal means; a plurality of switching and transmission systems and a plurality of maintenance processor unit means, each switching and transmission system including one corresponding maintenance processor unit means, each maintenance processor unit means arranged to perform diagnostic testing of said corresponding switching and transmission system responsive to said commands, and to transmit said data gathered during the diagnostic testing of said corresponding switching and transmission system; switching means including second modem means con-nected to said switching means and to said transmission line, said second modem means arranged to transmit said data from said switching means to said transmission line and to receive said commands from said transmission line, and said switching means further connected to each of said plurality of maintenance processor unit means, said switching means including controller means arranged to analyze the commands transmitted by said remote intel-ligent terminal means bidirectional link means connected to said controller means for transmitting said commands and receiving said data to and from said controller means, and relay means connected between said bidirectional link means and each of said plurality of maintenance processor unit means and responsive to said commands from said remote intelligent terminal means said relay means are operated by said controller means to connect a maintenance processor unit means to said remote intelligent terminal means for facilitating the transfer of said data from said connected maintenance processor unit means to said remote intelligent terminal means; said switching means being further operated in re-sponse to said commands to transmit said commands from said remote intelligent terminal means to the connected maintenance processor unit means; and said maintenance processor unit means operated in response to said commands from said remote intelligent terminal means to perform said diagnostic testing of said corresponding switching and transmission system and to transmit said data to said switching means.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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