Conference arrangements

Claim 1

IN A MEET ME COMMUNICATION SWITCHING SYSTEM, A FIRST SWITCHING OFFICE COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF INDIVIDUAL CONTROLLED-ACCESS MULTICHANNEL CONFERENCE CIRCUITS, A PLURALITY OF STATIONS, AND SWITCHING MEANS SELECTIVELY CONTROLLED BY ANY OF SAID STATIONS FOR CONNECTING SAID STATION TO A CHANNEL OF A SELECTED ONE OF SAID CONFERENCE CIRCUITS WHEN SAID CHANNEL IS AVAILABLE FOR STATION CONNECTION; A SECOND REMOTE OFFICE; AND CONTROL MEANS AT SAID FIRST OFFICE RESPONSIVE TO FIRST SIGNALS FROM SAID REMOTE OFFICE FOR RENDERING SAID CHANNELS AVAILABLE TO SAID STATIONS, RESPONSIVE TO SECOND SIGNALS FROM SAID REMOTE OFFICE FOR RENDERING SAID CHANNELS UNAVAILABLE TO SAID STATIONS, AND RESPONSIVE TO THIRD SIGNALS FROM SAID REMOTE OFFICE FOR CONNECTING SAID INDIVIDUAL CONFERENCE CIRCUITS TOGETHER; SAID REMOTE OFFICE COMPRISING MEANS INACCESSIBLE TO SAID SUBSTATIONS FOR SENDING FIRST AND SECOND CONTROL SIGNALS TO SAID FIRST OFFICE CONTROL MEANS FOR CONTROLLING CONFERENCE CHANNEL AVAILABILITY AND FOR SENDING THIRD SIGNALS TO SAID FIRST OFFICE CONTROL MEANS FOR CONNECTING SAID CONFERENCE CIRCUITS TOGETHER.