Automatic common control switching system

Claim 2

A communication switching system including a plurality of incoming trunks, a plurality of register-senders, a switching network for connecting any one of said incoming trunks with any one of said register-senders comprising a plurality of trunk switches and a like number of register-sender switches each having a plurality of inputs and an output, a link connecting the output of respective ones of said trunk switches to the output of an associated one of said register-sender switches, said incoming trunks each being coupled in multiple to one of said inputs of each of said trunk switches, said trunk switches each having connecting means operable to selectively connect an incoming trunk through said trunk switch to the output thereof, said register-senders each being coupled in multiple to one of the inputs of each of said register-sender switches, said registersender switches each having connecting means operable to selectively connect a register-sender through said registersender switch to the output thereof, said trunk switches and said register-sender switches each further including an allotter relay for connecting the outputs thereof to said links, and a registersender access control circuit for operating said allotter relay and said connecting means of one of said trunk switches and one of said register-sender switches to connect an incoming trunk with a call for service to an idle register-sender through said one trunk switch and said one register-sender switch and said link connecting the outputs thereof.

Claim 3

The communication switching system of claim 1, wherein the number of incoming trunks exceeds the number of register-senders within said system.

Claim 4

The communication switching system of claim 1, wherein the ratio of incoming trunks to register-senders does not exceed 10 to 1.

Claim 5

The communication switching system of claim 1, wherein said register-sender access control circuit comprises a trunk identifier for scanning and selecting an incoming trunk with a call for service and for preparing said trunk switches to the outputs thereof, a register-sender selector for scanning and selecting an idle register-sender and for preparing said register-sender switches to connect said register-sender through said register-sender switches to the outputs thereof, a link selector for scanning and selecting an idle link and for preparing for operation the allotter relays of the trunk switch and register-sender switch associated with the selected link, and a sequence state controller operated upon the receipt of a signal from said trunk identifier, said register-sender selector and said link selector of the selection of an incoming trunk, an idle register-sender and an idle link to operate said allotter relays and said connecting means of said trunk switch and register-sender switch to connect said selected incoming trunk to a register-sender through said trunk switch and said register-sender switch and said link connecting the outputs thereof to one another.

Claim 6

The communication switching system of claim 1, wherein said connecting means of said trunk switches and said register-sender switches comprise TENS and UNITS relays operable to selectively connect an incoming trunk and a register-sender through the respective switches to the outputs thereof.

Claim 7

The communication switching system of claim 1, wherein said plurality of trunk switches and register-sender switches are divided into a plurality of groups, each of said groups forming a register access network, said incoming trunks being divided into a plurality of groups corresponding in number to said register access networks, each of said trunks in a group being connected in multiple to one of said inputs of each of said trunk switches of one of said register access netwoRks, said register-senders being coupled in multiple to one of the inputs of each of said register-sender switches of each of said register access networks, said register-sender access control circuit being operable to connect an incoming trunk with a call for service in any one of said groups of incoming trunks through the trunk and register-sender switches of its associated register access network to an idle one of said register-senders.

Claim 8

The communication switching system of claim 6, wherein the number of incoming trunks exceeds the number of register-senders within said system.

Claim 9

The communication switching system of claim 6, wherein the ratio of incoming trunks to register-senders does not exceed 10 to 1.

Claim 10

The communication switching system of claim 6, wherein the number of incoming trunks in a group corresponds to the number of register-senders within said system, and wherein the number of trunk and register-sender switches within a register access network is less than the number of incoming trunks within a group.

Claim 11

The communication switching system of claim 9, wherein the number of trunk and register-sender switches within a register access network is determined by traffic requirements and the grade of service to be provided.

Claim 12

The communication switching system of claim 9, wherein said register-sender access control circuit comprises a trunk identifier for scanning and selecting an incoming trunk with a call for service within a group of incoming trunks and for preparing said trunk switches of the register access network associated with that group to connect said incoming trunk through said trunk switches to the outputs thereof, a register-sender selector for scanning and selecting an idle register-sender and for preparing said register-sender switches of the same register access network to connect said register-sender through said register-sender switches to the outputs thereof, a link selector for scanning and selecting an idle link between the trunk and register-sender switches of said one register access network and for preparing for operation the allotter relays of the trunk switch and register-sender switch associated with the selected link, and a sequence state controller operated upon the receipt of a signal from said trunk identifier, said register-sender selector and said link selector of the selection of an incoming trunk, an idle register-sender and an idle link to operate said allotter relays and said connecting means of said trunk switch and register-sender switch to connect said selected incoming trunk to a register-sender through said trunk switch, said register-sender switch and said link.

Claim 13

The communication switching system of claim 11, wherein each of said incoming trunks comprises a call-for-service circuit coupled to said trunk identifier for identifying a trunk requesting service, said call-for-service circuits each comprising three leads, one of said leads of all of said trunks within a group being multipled to form an enable lead, another one of said leads of all of said trunks within a group being multipled to form a detect lead, the other one of said leads of all of the correspondingly numbered trunks of each of said groups being multipled to form a call-for-service lead, said trunk identifier including scanner means for scanning said detect leads and said call-for-service leads to identify and select a trunk with a call-for-service, said trunk identifier signaling said sequence controller that the selection of a trunk is completed.

Claim 14

The communication switching system of claim 12, wherein said trunk identifier comprises a group scanner and a subgroup scanner, said group scanner scanning said detect leads and upon detecting a pre-determined signal on one of said detect leads being stopped to thereby select one of said groups of trunks including a trunk with a call-for-service and starting said subgroup scanner, said subgroup scanner scanning said call-for-service leads and upon detecting a pre-detErmined signal on one of said call-for-service leads being stopped to thereby select one of said trunks within said selected group with a call-for-service.

Claim 15

The communication switching system of claim 13, wherein the selection of a group of trunks is performed in a random fashion, with each cycle of said group scanner starting at the point of the previously selected group of trunks.

Claim 16

The communication switching system of claim 14, wherein the selection of a trunk within a group of trunks is performed in a random fashion, with each cycle of said subgroup scanner starting at a point N+1, where N is the point of the previously selected trunk.

Claim 17

The communication switching system of claim 11, wherein said link selector comprises a plurality of group gates corresponding in number to and associated with respective ones of said register access networks, said trunk identifier upon selecting and identifying a trunk with a call-for-service enabling the group gate associated with the register access network with which the group of trunks including the selected and identified trunk with a call-for-service is coupled, each of said links coupling said trunk and register-sender switches within said register access networks being tapped to provide an idle link lead which is coupled to its associated group gate, a link scanner within said link scanner for scanning said idle link leads coupled to said group gates and upon detecting a pre-determined idle signal on one of said idle link leads of the enabled group gate being stopped to thereby select an idle link, said link selector upon selecting an idle link preparing an operating path for said allotter relays of said trunk and register-sender switches associated with said selected idle link and signaling said sequence state controller of the selection of said idle link.

Claim 18

The communication switching system of claim 16, wherein said pre-determined signal on said idle link lead indicating an idle link is the absence of ground on said idle link lead.

Claim 19

The communication switching system of claim 11, wherein said register-sender selector comprises a busy indicator circuit, a busy idle indication lead coupling each of said plurality of register-senders to said busy indicator circuit, a register-sender scanner for scanning said busy idle indication leads and upon detecting a pre-determined signal on one of said busy idle indication leads being stopped to thereby select an idle register-sender, said register-sender scanner seizing said idle register-sender by applying a seizing signal to said busy idle indication lead and preparing said connecting means of said register-sender switches to selectively connect said selected idle register-sender through one of said register-sender switches, said register-sender selector signaling said sequence state controller of the selection of an idle register-sender.

Claim 20

The communication switching system of claim 18, wherein the selection of an idle register-sender is performed at random, with each cycle of said register-sender scanner starting its cycle from a point of the previously selected register-sender.

Claim 21

The communication switching system of claim 12, wherein said link selector comprises a plurality of group gates corresponding in number to and associated with respective ones of said register access networks, said trunk identifier upon selecting and identifying a trunk with a call-for-service enabling the group gate associated with the register access network with which the group of trunks including the selected and identified trunk with a call-for-service is coupled, each of said links coupling said trunk and register-sender switches within said register access networks being tapped to provide an idle link lead which is coupled to its associated group gate, a link scanner within said link scanner for scanning said idle link leads coupled to said group gates and upon detecting a pre-determined idle signal on one of said idle link leads of the enabled gRoup gate being stopped to thereby select an idle link, said link selector upon selecting an idle link preparing an operating path for said allotter relays of said trunk and register-sender switches associated with said selected idle link and signaling said sequence state controller of the selection of said idle link.

Claim 22

The communication switching system of claim 20, wherein said register-sender selector comprises a busy indicator circuit, a busy idle indication lead coupling each of said plurality of register-senders to said busy indicator circuit, a register-sender scanner for scanning said busy idle indication leads and upon detecting a pre-determined signal on one of said busy idle indication leads being stopped to thereby select an idle register-sender, said register-sender scanner seizing said idle register-sender by applying a seizing signal to said busy idle indication lead and preparing said connecting means of said register-sender switches to selectively connect said selected idle register-sender through one of said register-sender switches, said register-sender selector signaling said sequence state controller of the selection of an idle register-sender.

Claim 23

The communication switching system of claim 21, wherein said sequence state controller upon the receipt of said signals from said trunk identifier, said register-sender selector and said link selector of the selection of a trunk with a call-for-service, an idle register-sender and an idle link operating said allotter relays and said connecting means of said trunk switch and said register-sender switch to connect said trunk with a call-for-service through said trunk switch to said idle link and said selected idle register-sender through said register-sender to said idle link, to thereby connect said trunk with said idle register-sender.

Claim 24

The communication switching system of claim 6, wherein said register access networks and said register-sender access control circuit are provided in duplicate sets, each set normally serving a plurality of incoming trunks and register-senders, said register-sender access control circuits each being capable of performing the functions of the other, and transfer circuit means for automatically transferring the function of a disabled register-sender access control circuit to the other.

Claim 25

A communication switching system including a plurality of incoming trunks, a plurality of register-senders, a switching network for connecting any one of said incoming trunks with any one of said register-senders comprising a plurality of trunk switches and a like number of register-sender switches each having a plurality of inputs and an output, a link connecting the output of respective ones of said trunk switches to the output of an associated one of said register-sender switches, said incoming trunks each being coupled in multiple to one of said inputs of each of said trunk switches, said trunk switches each having connecting means operable to selectively connect an incoming trunk through said trunk switch to the output thereof, said register-senders each being coupled in multiple to one of the inputs of each of said register-sender switches, said register-sender switches each having connecting means operable to connect a register-sender through said register-sender switch to the output thereof, said trunk switches and said register-sender switches each further including an allotter relay for connecting the outputs thereof to said links, a trunk identifier for scanning and selecting an incoming trunk with a call for service and for preparing said trunk switches to connect said incoming trunk through said trunk switches to the outputs thereof, a register-sender selector for scanning and selecting an idle register-sender and for preparing said register-sender switches to connect said register-sender through said register-sender switches to the outputs thereof, a link selector for scanning and selecting an idle link and for preparing for operation the allotter relays of the truNk switch and register-sender switch associated with the selected link, and a sequence state controller operated upon the receipt of a signal from said trunk identifier, said register-sender selector and said link selector of the selection of an incoming trunk, an idle register-sender and an idle link to operate said allotter relays and said connecting means of said trunk switch and register-sender switch to connect said selected incoming trunk to a register-sender through said trunk switch and said register-sender switch and via said link.

Claim 26

A communication switching system including a plurality of incoming trunks, a plurality of register-senders, a switching network for connecting any one of said incoming trunks with any one of said register-senders comprising a plurality of trunk switches and a like number of register-sender switches each having a plurality of inputs and an output, a link connecting the output of respective ones of said trunk switches to the output of an associated one of said register-sender switches, said incoming trunks each being coupled in multiple to one of said inputs of each of said trunk switches, said trunk switches each having connecting means operable to selectively connect an incoming trunk through said trunk switch to the output thereof, said register-senders each being coupled in multiple to one of the inputs of each of said register-sender switches, said register-sender switches each having connecting means operable to connect a register-sender through said register-sender switch to the output thereof, said trunk switches and said register-sender switches each further including an allotter relay for connecting the outputs thereof to said links, a trunk identifier for scanning and selecting an incoming trunk with a call for service and for preparing said trunk switches to connect said incoming trunk through said trunk switches to the outputs thereof, a register-sender selector for scanning and selecting an idle register-sender and for preparing said register-sender switches to connect said register-sender through said register-sender switches to the outputs thereof, a link selector for scanning and selecting an idle link and for preparing for operation the allotter relays of the truNk switch and register-sender switch associated with the selected link, and a sequence state controller operated upon the receipt of a signal from said trunk identifier, said register-sender selector and said link selector of the selection of an incoming trunk, an idle register-sender and an idle link to operate said allotter relays and said connecting means of said trunk switch and register-sender switch to connect said selected incoming trunk to a register-sender through said trunk switch and said register-sender switch and via said link.

Claim 27

The communication switching system of claim 24, wherein said plurality of trunk switches and register-sender switches are divided into a plurality of groups, each of said groups forming a register access network, said incoming trunks being divided into a plurality of groups corresponding in number to said register access networks, each of said trunks in a group being connected in multiple to one of said inputs of each of said trunk switches of one of said register access networks, said register-senders being coupled in multiple to one of the inputs of each of said register-sender switches of each of said register access networks, said register-sender access control circuit being operable to connect an incoming trunk with a call for service in any one of said groups of incoming trunks through the trunk and register-sender switches of its associated register access network to an idle one of said register-senders.

Claim 28

The communication switching system of claim 25, wherein the number of incoming trunks in a group corresponds to the number of register-senders within said system, and wherein the number of trunk and register-sender switches within a register access network is less than the number of incoming trunks within a group.

Claim 29

The communication switching system of claim 26, wherein the ratio of incoming trunks to register-senders does not exceed 10 to 1, and wherein the number of trunk and register-sender switches within a register access network is determined by traffic requirements and the grade of service to be provided.