Switching system using divided crossbar switch

Claim 2

In a switching system for selectively connecting one given line to any one of a plurality of available lines, the combination comprising: a crossbar switch having a plurality of hold columns each including a plurality of vertical conductors and also for each hold column having a plurality of select levels each including a plurality of horizontal conductors, each of said select levels associated with each hold column crossing such hold column at a cross-point which includes a set of contacts for selectively connecting and disconnecting each horizontal conductor of said select level to and from a respective one of the vertical conductors of said hold column, said plurality of hold columns including a first hold column and a second hold column, means connecting different groups of said available lines to horizontal conductors of said select levels of said first hold column so that upon the closing of the contacts at one crosspoint of said first hold column a group of available lines and connected to certain vertical conductors of said first hold column, means connecting each of said certain vertical conductors of said first hold column to a different one of said horizontal conductors of a different one of said select levels of said second hold column so that when the contacts of one of the crosspoints of said second hold column are closed one available line from the group of available lines selected by said first hold column is connected to a particular one of the vertical conductors of said second hold column, means for connecting said given line to said particular one of the vertical conductors of said second hold column, means connecting other groups of said available lines to horizontal conductors of the select levels of said second holD column so that when the contacts of one cross point of said second hold column are closed a group of available lines is selected by said second hold column and connected to certain vertical conductors of said second hold column, means connecting each of said certain vertical conductors of said second hold column to a different one of said horizontal conductors of said select levels of said first hold column so that when the contacts of one cross-point of said first hold column are closed one available line from the group of available lines selected by said second hold column is connected to a particular one of the vertical conductors of said first hold column, and means for connecting said given line to said particular one of the vertical conductors of said first hold column.

Claim 3

In a switching system for selectively connecting one given line to any one of a plurality of available lines, the combination defined in claim 1 further characterized by said means for connecting said given line to said particular one of the vertical conductors of said first hold column and said means for connecting said given line to said particular one of the vertical conductors of said second hold column comprising a switch for selectively connecting said given line to either one of said two particular vertical conductors.

Claim 4

In a switching system for selectively connecting any one of a number of given lines to any one of a plurality of available lines, the combination comprising: a crossbar switch having a plurality of hold columns divided into two sections, each of said hold columns having a plurality of select levels, each of said select levels associated with each hold column crossing such hold columns at a cross point which includes a set of contacts, and each of the hold columns also having one output line, means connecting different groups of said available lines to different ones of the select levels of the hold columns of the first of said sections so that when the contacts of one cross point of any one of the hold columns of said first section are closed a group of said available lines are selected from said plurality of available lines, means connecting certain ones of said cross points of one of said select levels of each of the hold columns of said first section to different levels in a respectively associated one of the hold columns of said second section in such a manner that when the contacts of one of the cross points of such section section hold column are closed one available line from the group of available lines selected by the associated hold column of the first section is connected to the output line of said second section hold column, means for connecting said latter output line to one of said given lines, means connecting other different groups of said available lines to different ones of the select levels of the hold columns of said second section so that when the contacts of one of the cross points of hold column of said second section are closed a group of available lines is selected, means connecting the select levels of each hold column of said second section to a predetermined select level of a respectively associated one of the hold columns of said first section in such a manner that when the contacts of one of the cross points of such first section hold column are closed one of the available lines selected by the hold column of said second section are connected to said output line of said first section hold column, and means for connecting said latter output line to said one of said given lines.

Claim 5

In a switching system for selectively connecting any one of a number of given lines to any one of a plurality of available lines, the combination comprising: a crossbar switch having a plurality of hold columns divided into two sections, each of said hold columns having a plurality of select levels, each of said select levels associated with each hold column crossing such hold columns at a cross point which includes a set of contacts, and each of the hold columns also having one output line, means connecting different groups of said available lines to different ones of the select levels of the hold columns of the first of said sections so that when the contacts of one cross point of any one of the hold columns of said first section are closed a group of said available lines are selected from said plurality of available lines, means connecting certain ones of said cross points of one of said select levels of each of the hold columns of said first section to different levels in a respectively associated one of the hold columns of said second section in such a manner that when the contacts of one of the cross points of such section section hold column are closed one available line from the group of available lines selected by the associated hold column of the first section is connected to the output line of said second section hold column, means for connecting said latter output line to one of said given lines, means connecting other different groups of said available lines to different ones of the select levels of the hold columns of said second section so that when the contacts of one of the cross points of hold column of said second section are closed a group of available lines is selected, means connecting the select levels of each hold column of said second section to a predetermined select level of a respectively associated one of the hold columns of said first section in such a manner that when the contacts of one of the cross points of such first section hold column are closed one of the available lines selected by the hold column of said second section are connected to said output line of said first section hold column, and means for connecting said latter output line to said one of said given lines.

Claim 6

In a switching system for selectively connecting one given line to any one a plurality of available lines, the combination comprising: a crossbar switch having a plurality of vertical conductors grouped into a plurality of hold columns and also for each hold column having a plurality of horizontal conductors grouped into a plurality of select levels, each of said select levels associated with each hold column crossing such hold column at a cross Point which includes a set of contacts for selectively connecting and disconnecting each horizontal conductor of said select level to and from a respective one of the vertical conductors of said hold column, said plurality of hold columns including a first hold column and a second hold column both assigned to said one given line, means connecting at least some of the vertical conductors associated with said first hold column in one-to-one relationship to at least some of those horizontal conductors of said second hold column associated through the sets of contacts at the various cross points of said second hold column with a particular one of the vertical conductors of said second hold column, means for connecting said given line to said particular one of the vertical conductors of said second column, and means connecting at least some of said available lines in one-to-one relationship to at least some of said horizontal conductors of said first hold column.

Claim 7

In a switching system for selectively connecting one given line to any one a plurality of available lines, the combination comprising: a crossbar switch having a plurality of vertical conductors grouped into a plurality of hold columns and also for each hold column having a plurality of horizontal conductors grouped into a plurality of select levels, each of said select levels associated with each hold column crossing such hold column at a cross Point which includes a set of contacts for selectively connecting and disconnecting each horizontal conductor of said select level to and from a respective one of the vertical conductors of said hold column, said plurality of hold columns including a first hold column and a second hold column both assigned to said one given line, means connecting at least some of the vertical conductors associated with said first hold column in one-to-one relationship to at least some of those horizontal conductors of said second hold column associated through the sets of contacts at the various cross points of said second hold column with a particular one of the vertical conductors of said second hold column, means for connecting said given line to said particular one of the vertical conductors of said second column, and means connecting at least some of said available lines in one-to-one relationship to at least some of said horizontal conductors of said first hold column.

Claim 8

In a switching system for selectively connecting one given line to any one of a plurality of available lines, the combination defined in claim 4 further characterized by those horizontal conductors of said first hold column to which at least some of said available lines are connected not including those horizontal conductors of said first hold column which are associated through the sets of contacts at the various cross points of said first column with a particular one of the vertical conductors of said first column, means for connecting other of said available lines in one-to-one relationship to at least some of said horizontal conductors of said second hold column other than those to which said vertical conductor of said first column are connected, and said means for connecting said given line to said particular one of the vertical conductors of said second column including a switch for selectively connecting said given line to either said particular one of the vertical conductors of said second column or to said particular one of the vertical conductors of said first column.

Claim 9

In a switching system for selectively connecting any one of a number of given lines to any one of a larger number of available lines, the combination comprising: a crossbar switch having a plurality of vertical conductors grouped into a plurality of hold columns which hold columns are in turn divided into first and second sections with each of said given lines having exclusively assigned to it one hold column from each of said sections, said crossbar switch also including for each hold column a plurality of horizontal conductors grouped into a plurality of select levels crossing such hold column at a cross-point which includes a set of contacts for selectively connecting and disconnecting each horizontal conductor of said select level to and from a respective one of the vertical conductors of said hold column, each of said select levels of each hold column including a plurality of horizontal conductors which are electrically connected to the corresponding horizontal conductors of the corresponding select levels of the other hold columns of the same section and also including one horizontal conductor which is normally electrically unconnected to any other horizontal conductor, such normally unconnected horizontal conductors of the select levels of each hold column all being associated with one particular vertical conductor of said hold column through said sets of contacts at the various cross-points of said hold column, means connecting one group of said available lines in one-to-one relationship to the electrically connected horizontal conductors of said first section of hold columns, means connecting another group of said available lines in one-to-one relationship to the electrically connected horizontal conductors of said second secton of hold columns, means connecting all but said particular one of the vertical conductors of each hold column of said first section in one-to-one relationship with the electrically unconnected horizontal conduCtors of the hold column of said second section assigned to the same one of said given lines, means connecting all but said particular one of the vertical conductors of each hold column of said second section in one-to-one relationship with the electrically unconnected horizontal conductor of the hold column of said first section of hold columns assigned to the same one of said given lines, and a switch for selectively connecting each of said given lines to either said one particular vertical conductor of the hold column assigned to it from said first section or to said one particular vertical conductor of the hold column assigned to it from said second section.

Claim 10

In a switching system for selectively connecting any one of a number of given lines to any one of a larger number of available lines, the combination comprising: a crossbar switch having a plurality of vertical conductors grouped into a plurality of hold columns which hold columns are in turn divided into first and second sections with each of said given lines having exclusively assigned to it one hold column from each of said sections, said crossbar switch also including for each hold column a plurality of horizontal conductors grouped into a plurality of select levels crossing such hold column at a cross-point which includes a set of contacts for selectively connecting and disconnecting each horizontal conductor of said select level to and from a respective one of the vertical conductors of said hold column, each of said select levels of each hold column including a plurality of horizontal conductors which are electrically connected to the corresponding horizontal conductors of the corresponding select levels of the other hold columns of the same section and also including one horizontal conductor which is normally electrically unconnected to any other horizontal conductor, such normally unconnected horizontal conductors of the select levels of each hold column all being associated with one particular vertical conductor of said hold column through said sets of contacts at the various cross-points of said hold column, means connecting one group of said available lines in one-to-one relationship to the electrically connected horizontal conductors of said first section of hold columns, means connecting another group of said available lines in one-to-one relationship to the electrically connected horizontal conductors of said second secton of hold columns, means connecting all but said particular one of the vertical conductors of each hold column of said first section in one-to-one relationship with the electrically unconnected horizontal conduCtors of the hold column of said second section assigned to the same one of said given lines, means connecting all but said particular one of the vertical conductors of each hold column of said second section in one-to-one relationship with the electrically unconnected horizontal conductor of the hold column of said first section of hold columns assigned to the same one of said given lines, and a switch for selectively connecting each of said given lines to either said one particular vertical conductor of the hold column assigned to it from said first section or to said one particular vertical conductor of the hold column assigned to it from said second section.