Central automatic charge determination in teletypewriter exchange system

Claim 2

Process for the automatic determination of information necessary for evaluation of connections in a teletypewriter exchange system, in which the information is stored in an intermediate store which is connected to the connection only at the beginning and the end of each connection including the steps of controlling the intermediate store by an input store when a connection set is seized by calling subscriber, supplying to a specified location in the intermediate store assigned to the seized connection set during a first phase, beginning in time with the seizure of the connection set and ending with the completion of the connection to the called subscriber, the information accruing at the beginning of a connection, including the address of the seized connection set, the time of seizure thereof, and the identity of the calling and called subscribers, disconnecting the input store from the connection during a second phase beginning in time with the completion of the connection to the called subscriber and ending with the end of the connection, supplying to said specified location of the intermediate store during both said first and second phase information reflecting the durations thereof, and, during a third phase beginning with the end of the connection, seizing an input storE, stopping the supply of information to the intermediate store concerning the duration of the first and second phases, and transmitting all of the information in said specified location of the intermediate store to a main store.

Claim 3

The method of claim 1 in which the identification of the subscribers is supplied as one of the textual identification and a code identification, upon seizure of an input store.

Claim 4

The method of claim 1 including the steps of responding to a charge assignment signal by transmitting charge information to the calling subscriber simultaneously with transmission of the information from the intermediate store to the main store, and determining the information to be transmitted to the calling subscriber by comparison of the address assigned to this information with the address received by seizure of the input store at the beginning of said third phase.

Claim 5

In apparatus for automatic determination of information necessary for evaluation of connections in a teletypewriter exchange system including a group of connection sets each available for seizure by a calling subscriber and an intermediate store for storing said information in specified locations respectively assigned to the seized connection sets, the intermediate store being connected to the connection to the calling subscriber only at the beginning and at the end of each connection, in which the improvement comprises a plurality of auxiliary equipments (Z1 to Zn) each connected to a different one of said connection sets (Uel to Uen) a plurality of input stores (ES1 to ESm) each available for seizure by a connection, a first switch coupler (K1) having said auxiliary equipments and said input stores connected thereto and operable to connect on available input store to the auxiliary equipment of a seized connection set, said input stores each including means (ABw) for evaluating the address of the auxiliary equipment to which it is connected by said coupler to cause transmission of information concerning the connection involving that auxiliary equipment to the proper location in said intermediate store, the connection sets being arranged in groups and there being an intermediate store for each said group, a main store common to a number of said intermediate stores, means (LR, S, K2) for transmitting information concerning a connection stored in said intermediate store, to said main store after the connection is ended, and means (SL, PL, UG, Ad, ZG) for supplying information concerning the connection to the intermediate store connected to said connection while the connection is being established and thereafter until the connection is ended.

Claim 6

In apparatus for automatic determination of information necessary for evaluation of connections in a teletypewriter exchange system including a group of connection sets each available for seizure by a calling subscriber and an intermediate store for storing said information in specified locations respectively assigned to the seized connection sets, the intermediate store being connected to the connection to the calling subscriber only at the beginning and at the end of each connection, in which the improvement comprises a plurality of auxiliary equipments (Z1 to Zn) each connected to a different one of said connection sets (Uel to Uen) a plurality of input stores (ES1 to ESm) each available for seizure by a connection, a first switch coupler (K1) having said auxiliary equipments and said input stores connected thereto and operable to connect on available input store to the auxiliary equipment of a seized connection set, said input stores each including means (ABw) for evaluating the address of the auxiliary equipment to which it is connected by said coupler to cause transmission of information concerning the connection involving that auxiliary equipment to the proper location in said intermediate store, the connection sets being arranged in groups and there being an intermediate store for each said group, a main store common to a number of said intermediate stores, means (LR, S, K2) for transmitting information concerning a connection stored in said intermediate store, to said main store after the connection is ended, and means (SL, PL, UG, Ad, ZG) for supplying information concerning the connection to the intermediate store connected to said connection while the connection is being established and thereafter until the connection is ended.

Claim 7

The apparatus of claim 4 including means (GZ) for transmitting charge information to the calling subscriber from the intermediate store simultaneously with transmission of information from the intermediate store to the main store.

Claim 8

The apparatus of claim 5 in which said last-named transmitting means includes a charge assignment store (GS), a read-in system (EL) connected between said intermediate store and said charge assignment store, for reading into the charge assignment store charge information read out from the intermediate store, a readout system (AL) connected between the charge assignment store and said first coupler for reading out to the subscriber charge information recorded in the charge assignment store, program logic means (PL) for controlling read-in and readout of information into and from the intermediate store, respectively, and charge assignment logic means (GL) controlled by the program logic means for controlling read-in and readout of information into and from the charge assignment store.

Claim 9

The apparatus of claim 4 in which said supplying means includes a clock (UG) for supplying the time of initiation of a connection, a counting pulse generator (ZG) for supplying timing pulses, an adder (Ad) connected to said generator and operable when connected to said intermediate register to increase the count representing time duration therein as timing pulses are received from said generator, program logic means (PL) for controlling read-in and readout of information into and from the intermediate store, respectively, and writing logic means (SL) controlled by said program logic means for connecting said clock and said adder to said intermediate store to record the time of connection and the duration of connection therein in locations assigned to seized connection sets.

Claim 10

The apparatus of claim 7 in which said writing logic means causes connection of said adder to all locations in said intermediate store assigned to a seized connection set from the initial seizure thereof until the end of the connection initiated thereby.

Claim 11

The apparatus of claim 4 in which said intermediate store is a delay line storage device having a number of storage locations respectively assigned to seized connection sets and wherein the charge data for each connection are always stored in the same location, and said program logic means and writing logic means are operable to control the location in which charge information is stored in said intermediate register.

Claim 12

The apparatus of claim 9 in which said intermediate store includes a plurality of delay lines connected in one of series and parallel.