Multifunctional scanner-counter circuit

Claim 2

In a common control communications switching system having a plurality of stations, a source of clock pulses, and a counter capable of generating a distinctive coded output signal corresponding to each of said stations, a method of establishing connections from a service requesting one of said stations to a called one of said stations comprising the steps of 1. coupling said clock pulse source to said counter to cause said counter sequentially to generate said distinctive coded output signals, 2. coupling said distinctive coded output signals one at a time to said common control to cause said common control to interrogate each of said stations corresponding to said output signals for a service request, 3. resetting said counter upon a service requesting one of said stations being detected, 4. applying dial pulse signals from said service requesting one of said stations to said counter to advance said counter directly to produce an output signal corresponding to a called one of said stations, 5. establishing a communications connection to said called one of said stations, 6. recoupling said source of clock pulses to said counter for causing said counter sequentially to generate said distinctive coded output signals, 7. recoupling said distinctive coded output signals one at a time to said common control to cause said common control to redetect said service requesting one of said stations, and 8. extending said communications connection from said called one of said stations to said service requesting one of said stations.

Claim 3

coupling said distinctive coded output signals one at a time to said common control to cause said common control to interrogate each of said stations corresponding to said output signals for a service request,

Claim 4

coupling said distinctive coded output signals one at a time to said common control to cause said common control to interrogate each of said stations corresponding to said output signals for a service request,

Claim 5

A counter-scanner circuit for a switching system having a common control, a switching network, a plurality of stations, and a source of clock pulses, said counter-scanner circuit comprising a counter capable of generating a distinctive coded output signal corresponding to each of said stations, means operable by said common control for coupling said clock pulse source to said counter to cause said counter to generate sequentially said distinctive coded output signals, means for applying said distinctive coded output signals one at a time to said common control to cause said common control to interrogate for a service request each of said stations corresponding to said output signals, means controlled by said common control upon interrogating a service requesting one of said stations for resetting said counter, means for transmitting dial pulse signals from said service requesting one of said stations to said reset counter to advance said counter directly to produce an output signal corresponding to a called one of said stations, said common control thereupon establishing a communications connection in said network to said called one of said stations, and means activated by said common control for reoperating said coupling means to cause said counter to generate said distinctive coded output signals, said applying means applying said distinctive coded signals to said common control to cause said common control to redetect said service requesting one of said stations, said common control thereupon extending communications connections from said called one of said stations to said service requesting one of said stations.

Claim 6

A counter-scanner circuit for a switching system having a common control, a switching network, a plurality of stations, and a source of clock pulses, said counter-scanner circuit comprising a counter capable of generating a distinctive coded output signal corresponding to each of said stations, means operable by said common control for coupling said clock pulse source to said counter to cause said counter to generate sequentially said distinctive coded output signals, means for applying said distinctive coded output signals one at a time to said common control to cause said common control to interrogate for a service request each of said stations corresponding to said output signals, means controlled by said common control upon interrogating a service requesting one of said stations for resetting said counter, means for transmitting dial pulse signals from said service requesting one of said stations to said reset counter to advance said counter directly to produce an output signal corresponding to a called one of said stations, said common control thereupon establishing a communications connection in said network to said called one of said stations, and means activated by said common control for reoperating said coupling means to cause said counter to generate said distinctive coded output signals, said applying means applying said distinctive coded signals to said common control to cause said common control to redetect said service requesting one of said stations, said common control thereupon extending communications connections from said called one of said stations to said service requesting one of said stations.

Claim 7

A counter-scanner circuit in accordance with claim 2 wherein said counter comprises a units and a tens digit counter, said coupling means includes gate means for applying clock pulses from said clock pulse source to said counter to activate said units digit counter for generating units digit signals of said distinctive coded output signals for service request interrogation of said stations, means responsive to prescribed units digit signals generated by said units digit counter for activating said tens digit counter to generate tens digit signals of said distinctive coded output signals, and means responsive to a receipt of a service request from one of said stations for disabling said gate means to block said clock pulses from being applied to said counter.

Claim 8

resetting said counter upon a service requesting one of said stations being detected,

Claim 9

resetting said counter upon a service requesting one of said stations being detected,

Claim 10

applying dial pulse signals from said service requesting one of said stations to said counter to advance said counter directly to produce an output signal corresponding to a called one of said stations,

Claim 11

applying dial pulse signals from said service requesting one of said stations to said counter to advance said counter directly to produce an output signal corresponding to a called one of said stations,

Claim 12

A counter-scanner circuit in accordance with claim 3 wherein said tens digit counter comprises an input gate for receiving said prescribed units digit signals and said dial pulse signals, said units digit counter comprises an input gate for receiving said clock pulses and said dial pulse signals, and said counter-scanner circuit further includes steering means for gating received tens digit dial pulse signals to said tens digit counter input gate and received units digit dial pulse signals to said units digit counter input gate for counting and registering said units and said tens digit dial pulse signals.

Claim 13

A counter-scanner circuit in accordance with claim 4 further comprising a pulse train detector responsive to a receipt of said tens and said units digit dial pulse signals for controlling said gate means to apply clock pulses to said units digit counter for generating distinctive coded output signals for callback scanning of said stations

Claim 14

establishing a communications connection to said called one of said stations,

Claim 15

establishing a communications connection to said called one of said stations,

Claim 16

In a telephone system having common control means, a plurality of station lines having units and tens digit address codes, and a source of clock pulses, the improvement comprising a register circuit having a units and a tens digit counter, a register state control circuit including means controlled by said common control means for enabling said units and said tens digit counter to generate units and tens digit address codes of said lines, means responsive to a receipt of clock pulses from said clock pulse source for advancing said units digit counter to generate said units digit address codes, means responsive to a receipt of generated units digit address codes for advancing said tens digit counter to generate tens digit address codes, said common control means being responsive to said units and said tens digit address codes generated by said counters for scanning said lines for call service requests, and being further responsive to a detection of a service request from a scanned one of said lines for controlling the establishment of call connections between said register circuit and said one of said lines, means activated by said common control means for resetting said units and said tens digit counter, means activated by said common control means for advancing said units and said tens digit counter in response to dial pulses received from said one of said lines over said established connections, and means controlled by said common control means for applying a callback potential to said established connections to mark said one of said lines for callback scanning, said common control thereupon controlling said enabling means to enable said units and tens digit counters, said units digit counter advancing means and said tens digit counter advancing means subsequently advancing said units digit and said tens digit counter to provide tens and units digit address codes to said common control for scanning said lines to detect said callback potential.

Claim 17

In a telephone system having common control means, a plurality of station lines having units and tens digit address codes, and a source of clock pulses, the improvement comprising a register circuit having a units and a tens digit counter, a register state control circuit including means controlled by said common control means for enabling said units and said tens digit counter to generate units and tens digit address codes of said lines, means responsive to a receipt of clock pulses from said clock pulse source for advancing said units digit counter to generate said units digit address codes, means responsive to a receipt of generated units digit address codes for advancing said tens digit counter to generate tens digit address codes, said common control means being responsive to said units and said tens digit address codes generated by said counters for scanning said lines for call service requests, and being further responsive to a detection of a service request from a scanned one of said lines for controlling the establishment of call connections between said register circuit and said one of said lines, means activated by said common control means for resetting said units and said tens digit counter, means activated by said common control means for advancing said units and said tens digit counter in response to dial pulses received from said one of said lines over said established connections, and means controlled by said common control means for applying a callback potential to said established connections to mark said one of said lines for callback scanning, said common control thereupon controlling said enabling means to enable said units and tens digit counters, said units digit counter advancing means and said tens digit counter advancing means subsequently advancing said units digit and said tens digit counter to provide tens and units digit address codes to said common control for scanning said lines to detect said callback potential.

Claim 18

recoupling said source of clock pulses to said counter for causing said counter sequentially to generate said distinctive coded output signals,

Claim 19

recoupling said source of clock pulses to said counter for causing said counter sequentially to generate said distinctive coded output signals,

Claim 20

recoupling said distinctive coded output signals one at a time to said common control to cause said common control to redetect said service requesting one of said stations, and

Claim 21

recoupling said distinctive coded output signals one at a time to said common control to cause said common control to redetect said service requesting one of said stations, and

Claim 22

extending said communications connection from said called one of said stations to said service requesting one of said stations.

Claim 23

extending said communications connection from said called one of said stations to said service requesting one of said stations.