Static switching arrangements of the cross-point type

Claim 1

IN A CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENT COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF COORDINATE SWITCHING NETWORKS EACH OF WHICH COMPRISES A FIRST ARRAY OF CONDUCTORS, A SECOND ARRAY OF CONDUCTORS DISPOSED IN COORDINATE RELATIONSHIP WITH SAID FIRST ARRAY AND DEFINING CROSS-POINTS THEREWITH, AND A PLURALITY OF CROSS-POINT SWITCHES CONSTITUTED BY RESPECTIVE TWOTERMINAL FOUR-ZONE DIODES EACH CONNECTED BETWEEN THE PAIR OF CONDUCTORS DEFINING ITS CROSS-POINT; MEANS ASSOCIATED WITH EACH SWITCHING NETWORK FOR RENDERING CONDUCTIVE THE DIODES AT SELECTED CROSS-POINTS THEREIN THEREBY TO ESTABLISH CONNECTION BETWEEN THE CONDUCTORS DEFINING SUCH CROSS-POINTS BUT ALSO RESULTING IN THE ESTABLISHMENT OF STANDING VOLATAGES ON THESE CONDUCTORS, SAID MEANS INCLUDING FIRST PULSE MEANS FOR SELECTIVELY APPLYING A FIRST SWITCHING VOLTAGE PULSE OF ONE POLARITY AND AMPLITUDE TO A SELECTED CONDUCTOR IN ONE OF SAID FIRST AND SECOND ARRAYS AND SECOND PULSE MEANS FOR SELECTIVELY APPLYING A SECOND SWITCHING VOLTAGE PULSE OF OPPOSITE POLARITY AND DIFFERENT AMPLITUDE RELATIVE TO SAID FIRST PULSE TO A SELECTED CONDUCTOR IN THE OTHER OF SAID ARRAYS, THE AMPLITUDES OF SAID FIRST AND SECOND PULSES BEING TOGETHER SUFFICIENT TO PRODUCE ACROSS THE DIODE CONNECTED BETWEEN SAID SELECTED CONDUCTORS A COMBINED VOLTAGE WHICH IS AT LEAST AS GREAT AS THE DIODE''S FORWARD BREAKDOWN SWITCHING VOLTAGE, BUT THE AMPLITUDE OF EACH SUCH PULSE BEING INSUFFICIENT IN RELATION TO SAID STANDING VOLTAGES TO CAUSE BREAKDOWN OF ANOTHER DIODE CONNECTED BETWEEN THE CONDUCTOR TO WHICH SUCH PULSE IS APPLIED AND ANOTHER CONDUCTOR ON WHICH SUCH STANDING VOLTAGE MAY BE PRESENT.