Identifier arrangement

Claim 2

Apparatus for identifying a particular one of a plurality of units of equipment in response to a request from said particular unit comprising means for applying a marking signal to said particular unit to be identified, means connectable to said units for detecting said marking signal, scanner means operative in response to a first request signal received from said particular unit for connecting said detecting means to each said unit, and means effective upon the receipt of a second request signal received from another of said units for temporarily disabling said scanner means during the interval both said first and second request signals are present.

Claim 3

The invention defined in claim 1 wherein said detecting means comprises a bistable device actuated in response to said marking signal, and wherein said scanner means comprises a plurality of coupling devices each operable to connect one of said units to said bistable device, and sequence means for sequentially operating said coupling devices.

Claim 4

The invention defined in claim 2 wherein said sequence means comprises a plurality of bistable elements and timing means for individually operating said bistable elements at prescribed intervals, and wherein said disabling means comprises means actuated in the presence of concurrent first and second request signals for blocking the further actuation of said bistable elements.

Claim 5

The invention defined in claim 3 wherein said disabling means further comprises means actuated in the presence of concurrent first and second request signals for blocking the actuation of said timing means.

Claim 6

In a system having a plurality of first equipment units individually connectable with a plurality of second equipment units wherein each first unit transmits a marking signal to the second unit connected thereto, an arrangement for ascertaining the identity of the second unit connected to a particular one of said first units comprising detector means responsive to said marking signal, scanner means effective when actuated for connecting said detector means to each said second unit, means responsive to a request signal from said particular first unit for actuating said scanner means, and means effective during the presence of said first request signal and upon the receipt of a second request signal from another of said first units for disabling said scanner means.

Claim 7

In a system having a plurality of first equipment units individually connectable with a plurality of second equipment units wherein each first unit transmits a marking signal to the second unit connected thereto, an arrangement for ascertaining the identity of the second unit connected to a particular one of said first units comprising detector means responsive to said marking signal, scanner means effective when actuated for connecting said detector means to each said second unit, means responsive to a request signal from said particular first unit for actuating said scanner means, and means effective during the presence of said first request signal and upon the receipt of a second request signal from another of said first units for disabling said scanner means.

Claim 8

In a telephone system having trunks connectable to senders wherein each sender includes means for transmitting a marking signal to the trunk connected thereto, an arrangement for identifying the trunk connected to a particular one of said senders comprising first detector means connectable to said trunks for detecting said marking signal, scanner means enabled in response to a first request signal received from said particular sender for sequentially connecting said first detector means to each said trunk, and means effective upon the receipt of a second request signal from another of said senders for temporarily disabling said scanner means until onLy said first request signal is present.

Claim 9

In a telephone system having trunks connectable to senders wherein each sender includes means for transmitting a marking signal to the trunk connected thereto, an arrangement for identifying the trunk connected to a particular one of said senders comprising first detector means connectable to said trunks for detecting said marking signal, scanner means enabled in response to a first request signal received from said particular sender for sequentially connecting said first detector means to each said trunk, and means effective upon the receipt of a second request signal from another of said senders for temporarily disabling said scanner means until onLy said first request signal is present.

Claim 10

The invention defined in claim 6 wherein said identifying arrangement further comprises a start circuit associated with each said sender for detecting a request signal from said associated sender and wherein said disabling means comprises circuit means responsive to the actuation of a first one of said start circuits in response to said first request signal for blocking the actuation of other ones of said start circuits.

Claim 11

The invention defined in claim 7 wherein said first detector means comprises relay means responsive to said marking signal, wherein said scanner means comprises a plurality of connector relays and a stepping circuit for sequentially operating said connector relays one at a time, and wherein said disabling means further comprises second detector means jointly actuated by said circuit means and said second request signal for interrupting the operation of said stepping circuit.

Claim 12

The invention defined in claim 7 wherein each said sender comprises timing means associated therewith for controlling the transmission of said request signal to said identifier arrangement for a predetermined interval and for releasing said sender at the end of said interval and wherein said circuit means further comprises means for preventing the release of said particular sender by blocking the actuation of said timing means of said particular sender.