Combined wideband narrowband communication system

Claim 2

A communication system comprising a plurality of communication circuits each including a first and a second line, a first switching network comprising independently selectable linkages for interconnecting the first lines of said circuits, a second switching network comprising independently selectable linkages for interconnecting the second lines of said circuits, means for testing both said networks for idle linkages prior to interconnecting any of said lines, and control means actuated by said testing means for enabling both said networks to interconnect said first and second lines of said communication circuits.

Claim 3

The invention defined in claim 1 wherein said control means comprises means responsive to a first call directive signal from a calling one of said circuits for actuating only said first network and means responsive to a second call directive signal differing from said first call directive signal and received from said calling circuit for concurrently actuating both said networks.

Claim 4

The invention defined in claim 1 wherein said network linkages a plurality of switching matrices and transmission links, and wherein said testing means comprises means for determining the idle status of each of said transmission links.

Claim 5

The inveNtion defined in claim 3 wherein said control means also includes means for blocking the interconnection of the second lines of said circuits when idle first network transmission links are unavailable for interconnecting the first lines of said circuits.

Claim 6

The invention defined in claim 3 wherein said control means comprises circuit means for selecting one of said first network matrices having transmission links connectable to the first line of a designated one of said circuits, and wherein said first network also includes means actuated by said circuit means for selecting one of said second network matrices having transmission links connectable to the second line of said same designated circuit.

Claim 7

The invention defined in claim 1 wherein said control means comprises means for enabling said first network independently of the enablement of said second network.

Claim 8

The invention defined in claim 6 wherein each said network comprises a plurality of stages and means coupling said stages for maintaining the call blocking characteristics of said system substantially constant during the enablement of only said first network and during the simultaneous enablement of both said networks.

Claim 9

An audio-visual communications systems comprising a voiceband switching network, a wideband switching network, a plurality of customer stations each comprising a telephone set coupled to said voiceband network and a corresponding video transceiver coupled to said wideband network, a plurality of audio trunk circuits coupled to said voiceband network, a plurality of wideband trunk circuits coupled to said wideband network, means responsive to a service request signal from one of said stations for selecting an available one of said audio trunk circuits and an available one of said wideband trunk circuits, first means responsive to said selecting means for seeking idle transmission paths in said voiceband network, second means responsive to said selecting means for seeking idle transmission paths in said wideband network, and means jointly responsive to said first and second seeking means for actuating said networks to interconnect over said idle paths the telephone set and wideband transceiver of said one station with the selected audio and wideband trunk circuits, respectively.

Claim 10

An audio-visual communications systems comprising a voiceband switching network, a wideband switching network, a plurality of customer stations each comprising a telephone set coupled to said voiceband network and a corresponding video transceiver coupled to said wideband network, a plurality of audio trunk circuits coupled to said voiceband network, a plurality of wideband trunk circuits coupled to said wideband network, means responsive to a service request signal from one of said stations for selecting an available one of said audio trunk circuits and an available one of said wideband trunk circuits, first means responsive to said selecting means for seeking idle transmission paths in said voiceband network, second means responsive to said selecting means for seeking idle transmission paths in said wideband network, and means jointly responsive to said first and second seeking means for actuating said networks to interconnect over said idle paths the telephone set and wideband transceiver of said one station with the selected audio and wideband trunk circuits, respectively.

Claim 11

The invention defined in claim 8 wherein said selecting means comprises circuit means for seizing control of an idle one of said audio trunk circuits and wherein said audio trunk circuit comprises means responsive to said circuit means for seizing control of one of said wideband trunk circuits.

Claim 12

The invention defined in claim 9 further comprising means actuated by said selecting means for transmitting a distinctive signal to said one station to activate the video transceiver thereat.

Claim 13

A communication system comprising a voiceband switching network including voice equipment terminals and first switching means effective when actuated for establishing connections to said voice terminals, a wideband switching network including data equipment terminals and second switching means effective when actuated for establishing connections to said data terminals, a plurality of customer stations each coupled to a corresponding one of said voice terminals and a corresponding one of said data terminals, first translator means responsive to the receipt of call directive signals representing a called one of said stations for generating a first address code corresponding to the voice terminal of said called station, second translator means responsive to said first address code for generating a second address code corresponding to the data terminal of said called station, and control means responsive to both said address codes for independently actuating both said networks.

Claim 14

A communication system comprising a voiceband switching network including voice equipment terminals and first switching means effective when actuated for establishing connections to said voice terminals, a wideband switching network including data equipment terminals and second switching means effective when actuated for establishing connections to said data terminals, a plurality of customer stations each coupled to a corresponding one of said voice terminals and a corresponding one of said data terminals, first translator means responsive to the receipt of call directive signals representing a called one of said stations for generating a first address code corresponding to the voice terminal of said called station, second translator means responsive to said first address code for generating a second address code corresponding to the data terminal of said called station, and control means responsive to both said address codes for independently actuating both said networks.

Claim 15

The invention defined in claim 11 wherein said control means comprises first test means for ascertaining whether a prior connection has been established to said called voice terminal, second test means for ascertaining whether a prior conNection has been established to said called data terminal, and circuit means effective upon the actuation of said networks for concurrently rendering both said called terminals unavailable to subsequent connections.

Claim 16

The invention defined in claim 12 wherein said control means also comprises apparatus for rendering unavailable said called data terminal independently of the availability of said called voice terminal.

Claim 17

The invention defined in claim 13 wherein said apparatus comprises a bistable device associated with each said data terminal, said device being actuated in a first state for connecting said second test means to said called data terminal and being actuated in a second state for transmitting a data terminal busy signal to said control means, and wherein said control means further comprises means for actuating said device.

Claim 18

In a telephone switching office for interconnecting customer stations and trunks over a multistage voiceband switching network: the improvement comprising a wideband multistage switching network at said office, means common to both said networks for selecting idle linkage paths in said wideband network independently of the selection of idle linkage paths in said voiceband network, and means responsive to said selecting means for controlling said paths to interconnect designated ones of said stations and trunks concurrently over both said networks.

Claim 19

In a telephone switching office for interconnecting customer stations and trunks over a multistage voiceband switching network: the improvement comprising a wideband multistage switching network at said office, means common to both said networks for selecting idle linkage paths in said wideband network independently of the selection of idle linkage paths in said voiceband network, and means responsive to said selecting means for controlling said paths to interconnect designated ones of said stations and trunks concurrently over both said networks.

Claim 20

The invention defined in claim 15 wherein said wideband network comprises originating, intermediate, and terminating switching stages; wherein is also provided first means for coupling said originating switching stage with a first switching stage in said voiceband network, second means for coupling said terminating switching stage with a second switching stage in said voiceband network; and wherein said intermediate switching stage includes means jointly controlled by said first and second coupling means.