Method of and apparatus for transferring asynchronous information in a synchronous serial time multiplex

Claim 2

In a telecommunication switching system a method for transferring asychronous information in synchronous serial form wherein the asynchronous information comprises polarity reversals occurring on parallel lines and wherein line addresses of the polarity reversals are in parallel coded form and have a nuMber of bits equal to K, comprising the steps of: determining, at the sending station for said asynchronous information, a time address in which of a number 2m time intervals forming a pulse frame TO one of N of said polarity reversals has occurred, said frame TO having a duration equal to N groups of data of N polarity reversals in serial form plus a synchronous word F, each said group of data consisting of said time address comprising the time interval in said frame when said one polarity reversal occurred, said line address and information as to the polar direction of said one polarity reversal, storing the parallel coded time address result of said determining step in shift register means, triggering said shift register means for writing in said parallel coded time address information and reading it out in the order of its arrival forming a synchronous serial information signal, transmitting said serial information signal to a receiver station and converting said serial information signal into a parallel coded informatin signal having K bits in dependence on said time address and utilizing timing signals used for operating data processing apparatus at the receiving station.

Claim 3

In apparatus for transferring asynchronous information in synchronous serial form, said apparatus including a sending station connected to incoming parallel lines and a receiving station connected to said sending station by a transmission medium, wherein said asychronous information consists of polarity reversals occurring on said parallel lines, wherein the line addresses of said polarity are in parallel coded form having at least a number K of bits, said sending station comprising: event counter means for registering each polarity reversal, second counter means for generating a time address in parallel coded form for said polarity reversals, said second counter means being advanced synchronously with each of the 2m time intervals constituting a pulse frame To, each of said pulse frame having a duration equal to N groups of data of N polarity reversals in serial form plus a synchronizing word F, each of said groups of data consisting of said line address, the time address in said frame when said one polarity reversal occurred and one bit of information as to the one polarity reversal, shift register means for receiving said pulse frame data groups in parallel form and for producing a serial output therefrom, and N groups of gate means for connecting the lines on which the polarity reversals and the associated line addresses are received to said shift register means and for connecting said second counter means to said shift register means at predetermined times said shift register means thereby receiving and storing said groups of data of N polarity reversals at predetermined times through said gate means as determined by event counter means.

Claim 4

In apparatus for transferring asynchronous information in synchronous serial form, said apparatus including a sending station connected to incoming parallel lines and a receiving station connected to said sending station by a transmission medium, wherein said asychronous information consists of polarity reversals occurring on said parallel lines, wherein the line addresses of said polarity are in parallel coded form having at least a number K of bits, said sending station comprising: event counter means for registering each polarity reversal, second counter means for generating a time address in parallel coded form for said polarity reversals, said second counter means being advanced synchronously with each of the 2m time intervals constituting a pulse frame To, each of said pulse frame having a duration equal to N groups of data of N polarity reversals in serial form plus a synchronizing word F, each of said groups of data consisting of said line address, the time address in said frame when said one polarity reversal occurred and one bit of information as to the one polarity reversal, shift register means for receiving said pulse frame data groups in parallel form and for producing a serial output therefrom, and N groups of gate means for connecting the lines on which the polarity reversals and the associated line addresses are received to said shift register means and for connecting said second counter means to said shift register means at predetermined times said shift register means thereby receiving and storing said groups of data of N polarity reversals at predetermined times through said gate means as determined by event counter means.

Claim 5

The method defined in claim 1 wherein said shift register means is constituted by two shift registers, said shift registers being triggered alternately for writing said parallel coded information and reading it out, each said shift register having at least N (1+m+K) storage locations plus at least a location for the synchronizing word.

Claim 6

The apparatus defined in claim 2 wherein said receiving station comprises: third counter means advanced in synchronism with the timing frequency in data processing apparatus in said receiving station, shift register means for receiving serial information at its inputs and producing parallel coded information at its outputs, a plurality of further gate means connecting said third counter means to said shift register means for preparing successively the outputs of a like plurality of storage locations in said shift register means, and fourth counter means which is advanced with the time intervals constituting a pulse frame.