US3882286A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Telephone switching system
Assignee: Amtron Inc
•
Filing: 1973-05-08
•
Granted: 1975-05-06
•
Expires: 1993-05-08
Abstract
Abstract There is disclosed an improved telephone switching system which in the preferred embodiment comprises a private branch exchange (PBX). The improved telephone switching system includes a crosspoint matrix of horizontal and vertical terminal dimensions N X M, respectively, with the matrix crosspoint at the intersection of respective horizontal and vertical terminal pairs being adapted for effecting an electrical interconnection of said respective terminal pairs in response to coincident signal markings thereon and further having N termination circuits and M normally idle link circuits coupled to individual ones of said horizontal and vertical terminals, respectively, of said matrix. A plurality of Z registers are associated with the link circuits. Several automatic features are provided by the telephone switching system through the use of common circuitry associated with the registers. Heretofore, these automatic features required individual circuits to be associated with each termination and in certain instances, these automatic features have heretofore not been provided.
Inventors
- 👤 Virgle E Porter
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 05:38
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04Q; H04Q3/00; H04Q3/58; H04Q3/62; H04Q3/625
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 41
Claim 1
Independent Claim
364 words
In a telephone switching system having a crosspoint matrix of horizontal and vertical terminal dimensions N by M, respectively, with the matrix crosspoint at the intersection of respective horizontal and vertical terminal pairs being adapted for effecting an electrical interconnection of said respective terminal pairs in response to coincident signal markings thereon and further having N termination circuits and M normally idle link circuits coupled to individual ones of said horizontal and vertical terminals, respectively, of said matrix, the combination comprising: a plurality of register means associated with said link circuits; scanner means for signal markings the horizontal terminal of a first predetermined member of said N termination circuits; allotter means for enabling an idle one of said M link circuits to signal mark its associated vertical matrix terminal and for completing an electrical connection to said horizontal terminal of said first predetermined member of said N termination circuits; means responsive to said link circuit signal mark for electrically connecting one of said register means to selected link circuit and for supplying a dial tone to said predetermined member of said N termination circuits to enable said predetermined member of said N termination circuits to dial, and whereby said connected register means is responsive to said dialing; a first control circuit means connecting each of said M link circuits to each of said N termination circuits, wherein said first control circuit means supplies individual identification data relating to each of said N termination circuits to said M link circuits; a second control means connecting each of said N termination circuits to each of said M link circuits whereby said connected register means energizes said second control circuit means associated with a second member of said predetermined N termination circuits in response to said dialing thereby signal marking the horizontal terminal of said second predetermined member of said N termination circuits, whereby said second predetermined member of said N termination circuits is connected to said first predetermined member of said N termination circuits through said previously connected vertical matrix terminal; and conference circuit means associated with said register means for connecting a preselected number of said termination circuits together along a single vertical matrix terminal.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
364 words
In a telephone switching system having a crosspoint matrix of horizontal and vertical terminal dimensions N by M, respectively, with the matrix crosspoint at the intersection of respective horizontal and vertical terminal pairs being adapted for effecting an electrical interconnection of said respective terminal pairs in response to coincident signal markings thereon and further having N termination circuits and M normally idle link circuits coupled to individual ones of said horizontal and vertical terminals, respectively, of said matrix, the combination comprising: a plurality of register means associated with said link circuits; scanner means for signal markings the horizontal terminal of a first predetermined member of said N termination circuits; allotter means for enabling an idle one of said M link circuits to signal mark its associated vertical matrix terminal and for completing an electrical connection to said horizontal terminal of said first predetermined member of said N termination circuits; means responsive to said link circuit signal mark for electrically connecting one of said register means to selected link circuit and for supplying a dial tone to said predetermined member of said N termination circuits to enable said predetermined member of said N termination circuits to dial, and whereby said connected register means is responsive to said dialing; a first control circuit means connecting each of said M link circuits to each of said N termination circuits, wherein said first control circuit means supplies individual identification data relating to each of said N termination circuits to said M link circuits; a second control means connecting each of said N termination circuits to each of said M link circuits whereby said connected register means energizes said second control circuit means associated with a second member of said predetermined N termination circuits in response to said dialing thereby signal marking the horizontal terminal of said second predetermined member of said N termination circuits, whereby said second predetermined member of said N termination circuits is connected to said first predetermined member of said N termination circuits through said previously connected vertical matrix terminal; and conference circuit means associated with said register means for connecting a preselected number of said termination circuits together along a single vertical matrix terminal.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
55 words
The telephone switching system of claim 1 wherein said connected register means transfers said dialing information from said predetermined member of said N termination circuits to said selected link circuit whereby said connection to said register means is disconnected thereby enabling said register means to receive link circuit signal marks from another of said links.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
56 words
The telephone switching system of claim 1 further comprising: attendant access means for enabling an attendant to have access to any of said N termination circuits through said preselected link circuit and wherein certain preselected members of said N termination circuits may be connected to the other of said N termination circuits only by said attendant.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
86 words
The telephone switching system of claim 3, wherein at least one of said N termination circuits comprises a trunk circuit and wherein another of said N termination circuits comprises a preselected line circuit, further comprising: direct access circuit means connected to said plurality of register means wherein said direct access circuit means is responsive to said data from said first control circuit means and enables a circuit to be completed between said trunk circuit and said preselected line circuit automatically, thereby bypassing said attendant access means.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
30 words
The telephone switching system of claim 4 further comprising means for connecting said trunk circuit to a plurality of said preselected line circuits automatically, thereby bypassing said attendant access means.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
53 words
The telephone switching circuit of claim 4 further comprising: third control means associated with said register means for automatically connecting one of said trunk circuits to one of said line circuits and wherein said line circuit may be selectively connected to others of said termination circuits when not connected to said trunk circuit.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
97 words
The telephone switching system of claim 6 wherein said third control means comprises: patch means for identifying said trunk circuit and said line circuit which are to be automatically connected; means for conveying a signal to a third control circuit indicative of a request for service from said trunk circuit; and means for conveying said identification for said line circuit to said associated register means wherein said register means causes one of said link circuits to complete a path from said line circuit to said trunk circuit only where a signal appears on said third control circuit.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
61 words
The telephone switching system of claim 1 further comprising: restrictor circuit means connected to said plurality of register means wherein said restrictor circuit means monitors said dialing by said preselected member of N termination circuits, and in response to said data from said first control circuit means automatically disconnects said preselected member of said N termination circuits upon a preselected occurrence.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
28 words
The telephone switching system of claim 8 wherein said restrictor circuits means monitors only a portion of said dialing by said preselected member of said N termination circuits.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
25 words
The telephone switching system of claim 9 wherein said restrictor circuit means comprises patching circuit means associated with preselected members of said N termination circuits.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
64 words
The telephone switching system of claim 1 further comprising: an interrupting means for temporarily interrupting a circuit connection between a first and second member of said N termination circuits for connecting said first member to a third member of said N termination circuits, and for reconnecting said first member to said second member in response to a preselected signal generated by said first member.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
44 words
The telephone switching system of claim 10 wherein said interrupting means comprises: means for identifying said second member; means for disconnecting said second member; and means for connecting said third member to said first member for reconnecting said second member to said first member.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
81 words
The telephone switching system of claim 11 wherein said interrupting means comprises: means for placing a signal on the talk path associated with said first and said second member; means responsive to said signal on said talk path for disconnecting said second member from said first member and for providing a dial tone to said first member to enable said first member to obtain a connection to said third member; and means for reconnecting said second member to said first member.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
28 words
The telephone switching circuit of claim 1 further comprising: key means for enabling at least two of said termination circuits to be directly connected to a multi-line telephone.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
32 words
The telephone switching system of claim 1 wherein said first control means comprises a patch means associated with each of said termination circuits wherein said patch means provides said individual identification data.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
35 words
The telephone switchinG system of claim 1 further comprising: ring generator means; and solid state circuit means for energizing said ring generator means for interrupting the energization of said ring generator means without causing arcing.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
62 words
The telephone switching circuit of claim 16 wherein said solid state circuit means comprises: transistor means in circuit with said ring generator means; counter means for intermittently energizing said transistor means whereby said ring generator means generates an intermittent ring signal; and means for selectively transmitting said intermittent ring signal to a telephone receiver only when said telephone receiver is not off-hook.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
101 words
The telephone switching system of claim 1 wherein at least one of said termination circuits comprises a trunk circuit and wherein another of said termination circuits comprises a line circuit having a rotary dial telephone connected thereto whereby said rotary dial telephone generates loop current commensurate with dialing, further comprising: means for detecting the presence and absence of loop current and for generating a first signal indicative of the presence of loop current and a second signal indicative of the absence of loop current; and means for transmitting said first and second signals to said trunk circuit through said matrix connection.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
114 words
The telephone switching system of claim 4 wherein said direct access circuit means further comprises: a first means responsive to said first control means for disabling said attendant access means in response to a signal representative of an incoming call from one of said trunk circuits and for connecting one of said register means to said trunk circuit through one of said link circuit means; second means for automatically providing information to said connected register means, said information being representative of said preselected line circuit; and third means for transferring said information from said connected register means into said link circuit means whereby said trunk circuit is automatically connected to said preselected line circuit.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
24 words
The telephone switching system of claim 19 wherein said first means comprises a flip-flop means and wherein said second means comprises a counter means.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
338 words
In a telephone switching system having a crosspoint matrix of horizontal and vertical terminal dimensions N by M, respectively, with the matrix crosspoint at the intersection of respective horizontal and vertical terminal pairs being adapted for effecting an electrical interconnection of said respective terminal pairs in response to coincident signal markings thereon and further having N termination circuits and M normally idle link circuits coupled to individual ones of said horizontal and vertical terminals, respectively, of said matrix, and wherein at least one of said N termination circuits comprises a trunk circuit and wherein another of said N termination circuits comprises a preselected line circuit, the combination comprising: scanner means for signal marking the horizontal terminal of a first predetermined line circuit member of said N termination circuits; allotter means for enabling an idle one of said M link circuits to signal mark its associated vertical matrix terminal and for completing an electrical connection to said horizontal terminal of said first predetermined line circuit member of said N termination circuits; a plurality of register means associated with said link circuits; means responsive to said link circuit signal mark for electrically connecting one of said register means to said selected link circuit and for supplying a dial tone to said predetermined line circuit member of said N termination circuits to enable said predetermined line circuit member of said N termination circuits to dial information representative of a second preselected termination member and whereby said connected register means is responsive to said dialing; means for transferring said dialing information from said connected register means into said link circuit thereby signal marking the horizontal terminal of said second predetermined member of said N termination circuits, whereby said second predetermined member of said N termination circuits is connected to said first predetermined line circuit member of said N termination circuits through said previously connected vertical matrix terminal; and conference circuit means associated with said register means for connecting a preselected number of said termination circuits together along a single vertical matrix terminal.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
338 words
In a telephone switching system having a crosspoint matrix of horizontal and vertical terminal dimensions N by M, respectively, with the matrix crosspoint at the intersection of respective horizontal and vertical terminal pairs being adapted for effecting an electrical interconnection of said respective terminal pairs in response to coincident signal markings thereon and further having N termination circuits and M normally idle link circuits coupled to individual ones of said horizontal and vertical terminals, respectively, of said matrix, and wherein at least one of said N termination circuits comprises a trunk circuit and wherein another of said N termination circuits comprises a preselected line circuit, the combination comprising: scanner means for signal marking the horizontal terminal of a first predetermined line circuit member of said N termination circuits; allotter means for enabling an idle one of said M link circuits to signal mark its associated vertical matrix terminal and for completing an electrical connection to said horizontal terminal of said first predetermined line circuit member of said N termination circuits; a plurality of register means associated with said link circuits; means responsive to said link circuit signal mark for electrically connecting one of said register means to said selected link circuit and for supplying a dial tone to said predetermined line circuit member of said N termination circuits to enable said predetermined line circuit member of said N termination circuits to dial information representative of a second preselected termination member and whereby said connected register means is responsive to said dialing; means for transferring said dialing information from said connected register means into said link circuit thereby signal marking the horizontal terminal of said second predetermined member of said N termination circuits, whereby said second predetermined member of said N termination circuits is connected to said first predetermined line circuit member of said N termination circuits through said previously connected vertical matrix terminal; and conference circuit means associated with said register means for connecting a preselected number of said termination circuits together along a single vertical matrix terminal.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
57 words
The telephone switching system of claim 21 further comprising: attendant access means for enabling an attendant to have access to any of said N termination circuits through said preselected link circuit and wherein certain preselected trunk members of said N termination circuits may be connected to the other of said N termination circuits only by said attendant.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
109 words
The telephone switching system of claim 22 further comprising: a first control circuit means connecting each of said M link circuits to each of said N termination circuits, wherein said second control circuit means supplies individual identification data relating to each of said N termination circuits to said M link circuits; and direct access circuit means connected to said plurality of register means wherein said direct access circuit means is responsive to said data from said first control circuit means and enables a circuit to be completed between said one of said preselected trunk circuits and said one of said preselected line circuits automatically bypassing said attendant access means.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
124 words
The telephone switching system of claim 23 wherein said direct access circuit means further comprises: a first means responsive to said first control means for disabling said attendant access means in response to a signal representative of any incoming call from said preselected trunk circuit and for connecting one of said register means to said trunk circuit through one of said link circuit means; second means for automatically providing information to said connected register means, said information being representative of said preselected line circuit; and third means for transferring said information from said connected register means into said link circuit means whereby said trunk circuit is automatically connected to said preselected line circuit and whereby said register means is disconnected from said link circuit.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
31 words
The telephone switching system of claim 24 further comprising means for connecting said preselected trunk circuit to a plurality of said preselected line circuits automatically, thereby bypassing said attendant access means.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
55 words
The telephone switching system of claim 21 wherein said connected register means transfers said dialing information from said predetermined member of said N termination circuits to said selected link circuit whereby said connection to said register means is disconnected thereby enabling said register means to receive link circuit signal marks from another of said links.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
53 words
The telephone switching circuit of claim 23 further comprising: second control means associated with said register means for automatically connecting one of said trunk circuits to one of said line circuits and wherein said line circuit may be selectively connected to others of said termination circuits when not connected to said trunk circuit.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
97 words
The telephone switching system of claim 27 wherein said second control means comprises: patch means for identifying said trunk circuit and said line circuit which are to be automatically connected; means for conveying a signal to a second control circuit indicative of a request for service from said trunk circuit; and means for conveying said identification for said line circuit to said associated register means wherein said register means cAuses one of said link circuits to complete a path from said line circuit to said trunk circuit only when a signal appears on said third control circuit.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
63 words
The telephone switching system of claim 1 further comprising: restrictor circuit means connected to said plurality of register means wherein said restrictor circuit means monitors dialing by preselected line circuit members of said N termination circuits, and in response to said data from said first control circuit means automatically disconnects said preselected line member of said N termination circuits upon a preselected occurrence.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
63 words
The telephone switching system of claim 23 further comprising: restrictor circuit means connected to said plurality of register means wherein said restrictor circuit means monitors dialing by preselected line circuit members of said N termination circuits, and in response to said data from said first control circuit means automatically disconnects said preselected line member of said n termination circuits upon a preselected occurrence.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
28 words
The telephone switching system of claim 30 wherein said restrictor circuit means monitors only a portion of said dialing by said preselected member of said N termination circuits.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
64 words
The telephone switching system of claim 21 further comprising: an interrupting means for temporarily interrupting a circuit connecteion between a first and second member of said N termination circuits for connecting said first member to a third member of said N termination circuits, and for reconnecting said first member to said second member in response to a preselected signal generated by said first member.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
63 words
The telephone switching system of claim 30 further comprising: an interrupting means for temporarily interrupting a circuit connection between a first and second member of said N termination circuits for connecting said first member to a third member of N termination circuits, and for reconnecting said first member to said second member in response to a preselected signal generated by said first member.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
45 words
The telephone switching system of claim 33 wherein said interrupting means comprises: means for identifying said second member; means for disconnecting said second member; and means for connecting said third member to said first member and for reconnecting said second member to said first member.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
80 words
The telephone switching system of claim 33 wherein said interrupting means comprises: means for placing a signal on the talk path associated with said first and second member; means responsive to said signal on said talk path for disconnecting said second member from said first member and for providing a dial tone to said first member to enable said first member to obtain a connection to said third member; and means for reconnecting said second member to said first member.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
28 words
The telephone switching circuit of claim 21 further comprising: key means for enabling at least two of said termination circuits to be directly connected to a multi-line telephone.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
36 words
The telephone switching system of claim 21 further comprising: ring generator means; and solid state circuit means for energizing said ring generator means and for interrupting the energization of said ring generator means without causing arcing.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
62 words
The telephone switching circuit of claim 37 wherein said solid state circuit means comprises: transistor means in circuit with said ring generator means; counter means for intermittently energizing said transistor means whereby said ring generator means generates an intermittent ring signal; and means for selectively transmitting said intermittent ring signal to a telephone receiver only when said telephone receiver is not off-hook.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
101 words
The telephone switching system of claim 21 wherein at least one of said termination circuits comprises a trunk circuit and wherein another of said termination circuits comprises a lIne circuit having a rotary dial telephone connected thereto whereby said rotary dial telephone generates loop current commensurate with dialing, further comprising: means for detecting the presence and absence of loop current and for generating a first signal indicative of the presence of loop current and a second signal indicative of the absence of loop current; and means for transmitting said first and second signals to said trunk circuit through said matrix connection.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-05-05 | 1978-11-04 | 1979-05-06 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-05-05 | 1982-11-04 | 1983-05-06 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-05-05 | 1986-11-04 | 1987-05-06 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |