Automated main distributing frame system

Claim 2

In a telephone system, an automated main distributing frame system comprising, in combination: an interconnection network comprising a plurality of serially related cross-connection stages with each said stage including a plurality of cross-connection devices, each said device including inputs and outputs; terminals connected to the first and last ones of said stages; conductor means interconnecting said stages in a predetermined pattern; control means for determining an exclusive path through said network for interconnecting one of said terminals with another of said terminals, said exclusive path including an exclusive cross connection in at least one of said stages; common actuator means shared by a plurality of said devices and automatically responsive to said control means for interconnecting respective ones of said inputs and outputs on one said device in at least one said stage to establish said exclusive cross connection without disturbing other said exclusive cross connections on said plurality of devices sharing said actuator, whereby said exclusive path is established to interconnect said one and said another of said terminals.

Claim 3

In a communications system having a plurality of outside plant terminals, and a plurality of inside plant terminals, a distributing frame cross-connection system for interconnecting selected said outside plant terminals with selected said inside plant terminals via exclusive paths comprising, in combination: a multistage switching network with each stage including a plurality of switches having inputs and outputs; conductor means interconnecting said stages in a predetermined pattern; control means for determining said exclusive paths through said network, each said path including an exclusive cross connection in each said stage; common actuator means shared by a plurality of said switches and automatically responsive to said control means for interconnecting respective ones of said inputs and outputs on one said switch in each said stage to establish said exclusive cross connection in each said stage without disturbing existing said exclusive cross connections of existing said exclusive paths in said stage whereby said exclusive path is established.

Claim 4

In a communications system having a plurality of outside plant terminals, and a plurality of inside plant terminals, a distributing frame cross-connection system for interconnecting selected said outside plant terminals with selected said inside plant terminals via exclusive paths comprising, in combination: a multistage switching network with each stage including a plurality of switches having inputs and outputs; conductor means interconnecting said stages in a predetermined pattern; control means for determining said exclusive paths through said network, each said path including an exclusive cross connection in each said stage; common actuator means shared by a plurality of said switches and automatically responsive to said control means for interconnecting respective ones of said inputs and outputs on one said switch in each said stage to establish said exclusive cross connection in each said stage without disturbing existing said exclusive cross connections of existing said exclusive paths in said stage whereby said exclusive path is established.

Claim 5

The combination set forth in claim 2 wherein said network comprises a five stage network and said switches comprise switches including contact means associated with respective said inputs and outputs and adapted for receiving a connector therebetween for cross connecting said inputs and outputs to establish said cross connections.

Claim 6

The combination of claim 3 wherein said actuator means includes connector placement means for placing said connector between said contact means and coordinate positioning means for positioning said placement means adjacent said contact means associated with respective said inputs and outputs so that said connector can be placed therebetween to interconnect said respective inputs and outputs and establish said exclusive cross connection.

Claim 7

The combination of claim 3 wherein each said switch includes K inputs and K outputs, the third one of said stages including MK of said switches, whereby said system has a maximum capacity for interconnecting MK 2 said outside plant terminals with MK 2 said input plant terminals, where K and M are positive integers.

Claim 8

The combination of claim 5 comprising: center modules each containing K of said switches of said third stage; input modules each including K of said switches of each of the first and second ones of said stages, each said switch of said first stage having an output to every said switch of said second stage contained within a respective input module; each said input module having K 2 outputs from said switches of said second stage therein connected to said switches in said third stage; and output modules each including K of said switches of each of the fourth and fifth ones of said stages, each said switch of said fifth stage having an input from every said switch of said fourth stage contained within a respective output module, each said output module having K 2 inputs from said switches of said third stage.

Claim 9

The combination of claim 6 wherein said system includes I of said input modules, O of said output modules, and M of said center stage modules where I and O are positive integers no greater than M, so that said capacity of said system can be expanded from K 2 to MK 2 of respective said outside plant terminals and inside plant terminals in increments of K 2 by adding said input and output modules, respectively.

Claim 10

The combination of claim 7 wherein M, I and O each equals K so that said system has a maximum capacity of interconnecting K 3 of said outside plant terminals with K 3 of said inside plant terminals and initially established ones of said exclusive path in said system can be rearranged to reduce blocking of subsequently established ones of said paths.

Claim 11

The combination of claim 8 wherein said switches comprise pin connector switches including a printed circuit board with input and output conductors thereon and said contact means comprises pin terminals associated with respective said input and output conductors and adapted to receive said connector thereover for interconnecting said pin terminals.

Claim 12

The combination of claim 7 wherein I and O are equal and wherein each said input module is symmetrically connected to said third stage with respect to one of said output modules.

Claim 13

The combination of claim 7 wherein M equals K and wherein said outputs from said switches of said second stage in said input modules and said inputs to said switches of said fourth stage in said output modules are connected to respective said switches of said third stage in said center modules in a repetitive sequence so that every said input module and every said output module each has one connection to every said switch of said third stage.

Claim 14

The combination of claim 7 wherein M, I, and O each are less than K.

Claim 15

The combination of claim 12 wherein M equals one-half K and wherein said outputs from said switches of said second stage in said input modules and said inputs to said switches of said fourth stage in said output modules are connected to respective said switches of said third stage in said center modules in a repetitive sequence so that every said input module and every said output module has two connections to every said switch of said third stage.

Claim 16

The combination of claim 7 wherein M is greater than K.

Claim 17

The combination of claim 14 wherein M equals 2K so that each said input module and each said output module is connected to one-half of said switches in said third stage in said center modules.

Claim 18

The combination of claim 6 including a center stage package comprising two of said center modules, whereby said center stage package, said input module and said output module each comprises 2K of said switches.

Claim 19

The combination of claim 6 wherein said conductor means comprises: flat multiconductor cables connected to said inputs and outputs of said switches; and rotator means for providing row to column transformations of said conductors in said cables so that one said cable connected to one said switch in one said stage can provide outputs to a plurality of said switches in another one of said stages.

Claim 20

The combination of claim 17 wherein said rotator means comprises a printed circuit board having plated holes therein connected to lands on respective sides of said board, said lands being arranged in rows and columns, said conductors in a first group of said cables being connected to respective rows of said lands on one of said sides and said conductors in a second group of said cables being connected to respective columns of said lands on the other of said sides, whereby outputs from one said cable in said first group are distributed to a plurality of said cables of said second group and conversely.

Claim 21

The combination of claim 18 wherein each said cable includes K conductors connected to respective said K inputs and said K outputs of a respective switch, said rotator means includes K rows and K columns of said lands so that K of said cables can be connected to each side of said rotator whereby one of said rotators can distribute said outputs from K of said switches in one of said stages.

Claim 22

The combination of claim 19 wherein each said conductor comprises a pair of conductive elements, each said terminal comprises a pair of terminal elements and each said land comprises a pair of land elements.

Claim 23

The combination of claim 6 wherein a plurality of said input, output and center modules are arranged in side-by-side relationship to form a module lineup; said switches are mounted in rows within a respective said module in side-by-side relationship within said rows; and said switches are slideably mounted within said respective modules so that said switches can be withdrawn from said respective modules to provide access thereto.

Claim 24

The combination of claim 21 wherein said actuator means includes: a connector placement means for placing said connectors between said contact means; first positioning means for moving said placement means along said lineup of modules to position said placement means adjacent a selected switch in a respective one of said modules; means for withdrawing said selected switch from said respective module to expose said contact means; and second positioning means for positioning said placement means adjacent selected said contact means on said selected switch so that said connector can be placed therebetween.

Claim 25

The combination of claim 22 wherein said switches include test lands thereon connected to respective ones of said inputs and outputs; said actuator means includes connector means for engaging said test lands; and wherein said system includes testing means responsive to said control means for testing said cross connection on a respective switch when said connector means engages said lands thereon.

Claim 26

The combination of claim 23 wherein said switch comprises a printed circuit board having input and output conductors thereon and said contact means comprise pin terminals; said modules have front and rear surfaces with said boards being mounted on edge in side-by-side relationship within said respective modules with first and second edges thereof positioned toward said front and said rear surfaces, respectively, of said modules; said inputs and outputs are connected to respective input and output land on said second edge; and said test lands are located on said first edge whereby said connector means can engage said test lands without disturbing said inputs and outputs.

Claim 27

The combination of claim 5 wherein K equals 64.

Claim 28

The combination of claim 3 wherein each said switch includes K1 inputs and K2 outputs where K1 and K2 are unequal positive integers.

Claim 29

The combination of claim 2 wherein said control means comprises: means for detecting certain said existing exclusive paths having one said exclusive cross connection therein blocking a subsequent said exclusive path; and means for determining an alternate said exclusive path for one said certain existing exclusive path to thereby free said one exclusive cross connection blocking said subsequent exclusive path so that said subsequent exclusive path can be established.

Claim 30

The combination of claim 2 wherein said actuator means is responsive to said control means for disconnecting respective said inputs and outputs to terminate said exclusive cross connections without disturbing other said existing exclusive cross connections.

Claim 31

In a telephone system, the combination comprising: a plurality of terminals having circuits connected thereto; a multistage switching network with each stage including a plurality of switches having inputs and outputs; conductor means interconnecting said stages in a predetermined pattern; control means for determining an exclusive path through said network for interconnecting any one of said terminals with any other one of said terminals, said exclusive path including at least one exclusive cross connection in at least one said stage of said network; and common mechanical actuator means shared by a plurality of said switches and automatically responsive to signals from said control means for interconnecting respective said inputs and outputs on at least one said switch in at least one said stage to establish said exclusive cross connection, and automatically responsive to further signals from said control means for disconnecting respective said inputs and outputs to terminate said exclusive cross connections, without disturbing other said exclusive cross connections within said one stage.

Claim 32

In a telephone system, the combination comprising: a plurality of terminals having circuits connected thereto; a multistage switching network with each stage including a plurality of switches having inputs and outputs; conductor means interconnecting said stages in a predetermined pattern; control means for determining an exclusive path through said network for interconnecting any one of said terminals with any other one of said terminals, said exclusive path including at least one exclusive cross connection in at least one said stage of said network; and common mechanical actuator means shared by a plurality of said switches and automatically responsive to signals from said control means for interconnecting respective said inputs and outputs on at least one said switch in at least one said stage to establish said exclusive cross connection, and automatically responsive to further signals from said control means for disconnecting respective said inputs and outputs to terminate said exclusive cross connections, without disturbing other said exclusive cross connections within said one stage.

Claim 33

The combination of claim 29 including first testing means for testing said exclusive cross connections and said circuits associated with respective terminals when said respective terminals are interconnected.

Claim 34

The combination of claim 30 including second testing means for testing all said exclusive cross connections on a respective said switch when said actuator means establishes and terminates said exclusive cross connections on said switch.

Claim 35

The combination of claim 29 including input means for enabling said control means to determine said exclusive paths for selected said terminals.

Claim 36

The combination of claim 29 wherein said terminals comprise: first and second groups of terminals connected to the first one of said stages in said network and having outside plant circuits and test circuits, respectively, connected thereto; and third and fourth groups of terminals connected to the last one of said stages in said network and having inside plant circuits and test circuits, respectively, connected thereto.

Claim 37

In a telephone system, an automated main distributing frame switching system including a five stage switching network with terminals connected to the first and last ones of said stages, conductor means interconnecting said stages in a predetermined pattern, and control means for determining an exclusive path in said network for interconnecting any one of said terminals with any other of said terminals, said exclusive path including a connection in at least one of said stages of said network, CHARACTERIZED IN THAT said system comprises: a plurality of switches in each said stage, said switches having inputs and outputs connected with said conductor means, said switches in the first and second ones of said stages are arranged in first modules, said switches in the third one of said stages are arranged in second modules, and said switches in the fourth and fifth ones of said stages are arranged in third modules; and actuator means shared by a plurality of said modules and responsive to said control means for interconnecting respective ones of said inputs and outputs on respective said switches in respective said modules to form said connections and establish said exclusive path.

Claim 38

In a telephone system, an automated main distributing frame switching system including a five stage switching network with terminals connected to the first and last ones of said stages, conductor means interconnecting said stages in a predetermined pattern, and control means for determining an exclusive path in said network for interconnecting any one of said terminals with any other of said terminals, said exclusive path including a connection in at least one of said stages of said network, CHARACTERIZED IN THAT said system comprises: a plurality of switches in each said stage, said switches having inputs and outputs connected with said conductor means, said switches in the first and second ones of said stages are arranged in first modules, said switches in the third one of said stages are arranged in second modules, and said switches in the fourth and fifth ones of said stages are arranged in third modules; and actuator means shared by a plurality of said modules and responsive to said control means for interconnecting respective ones of said inputs and outputs on respective said switches in respective said modules to form said connections and establish said exclusive path.

Claim 39

An interconnection system comprising: a plurality of input terminals; a plurality of output terminals; a plurality of pinboards arranged in interconnected stages between said input and said output terminals; and common mechanical means for cross-connecting one pair of pins on one of said boards in each of said stages to provide a connection between one of said input terminals and one of said output terminals.

Claim 40

An interconnection system comprising: a plurality of input terminals; a plurality of output terminals; a plurality of pinboards arranged in interconnected stages between said input and said output terminals; and common mechanical means for cross-connecting one pair of pins on one of said boards in each of said stages to provide a connection between one of said input terminals and one of said output terminals.

Claim 41

An interconnection system comprising: a plurality of interconnection boards including conductors and connection pins for interconnecting pairs of said conductors; linking conductors inter-connecting said boards into a multistage network; and common automatic pin connector placement means for placing pin connectors across selected oaurs if said pins in each stage to provide conductive electrical paths through said network.

Claim 42

An interconnection system comprising: a plurality of interconnection boards including conductors and connection pins for interconnecting pairs of said conductors; linking conductors inter-connecting said boards into a multistage network; and common automatic pin connector placement means for placing pin connectors across selected oaurs if said pins in each stage to provide conductive electrical paths through said network.

Claim 43

The interconnection system according to claim 36 wherein said network comprises rearrangeable and expandable series-parallel interconnections between said boards.