US4032719A — Modular slot interchange digital exchange

Claim 1

Independent Claim 155 words

Common control digital switch apparatus for variably handling signals in digital form between locally accessible line multiples and time slot channels of locally accessible time divided digital trunk links comprising: slot interchange storage switching means having time interchangeable randomly accessible line slot and trunk slot buffer storage spaces of different capacity, said spaces being subject to variably paired interchange association; first means for passing information representational signals between said line slot spaces and selectively associated lines in respective said line multiples; second means for passing information representational signals between said trunk slot spaces and selectively associated real time slot channels on said trunk links; and common control means linked to said first and second means and said interchange storage means for variably establishing paired interchange associations of line slot and trunk slot spaces in random order, thereby effectively providing for remote signaling communication relative to said lines via randomly associated channels of said trunk links.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 155 words

Common control digital switch apparatus for variably handling signals in digital form between locally accessible line multiples and time slot channels of locally accessible time divided digital trunk links comprising: slot interchange storage switching means having time interchangeable randomly accessible line slot and trunk slot buffer storage spaces of different capacity, said spaces being subject to variably paired interchange association; first means for passing information representational signals between said line slot spaces and selectively associated lines in respective said line multiples; second means for passing information representational signals between said trunk slot spaces and selectively associated real time slot channels on said trunk links; and common control means linked to said first and second means and said interchange storage means for variably establishing paired interchange associations of line slot and trunk slot spaces in random order, thereby effectively providing for remote signaling communication relative to said lines via randomly associated channels of said trunk links.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 105 words

Apparatus according to claim 1 characterized in that said interchange storage switching means comprises an arbitrary number of from 1 to k identically structured discrete interchange modules having individual line slot and trunk slot spaces and common (dot-OR'd) addressing and input/output interchange circuits; and being adaptive to be operated cyclically in unison at an interchange rate such that the aggregate addressing capacity of k said modules can be scanned in each interchange cycle of operation and in sequence such that said line slots may be assigned arbitrary connection associations to said trunk slots in random order over the aggregate addressing range of k said modules.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 44 words

Apparatus according to claim 2 characterized in that the interchange cycling of the slot interchange storage switch means is conducted at a rate, and in a sequence, suitable for effecting interchange associations between randomly paired lines and between randomly paired trunk slots and lines.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 82 words

Apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said first means includes means for monitoring transmissive activity of selectively associated lines and said first, second and switching means include means for passing line activity indicating information for storage relative to associated said trunk slot spaces; said indicating information being useful for TASI allocation of groups of said trunk channels for carrying signals relative to larger sized groups of said lines in randomly ordered pair associations spanning the aggregate addressing range of k said modules.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 72 words

Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said first means includes means for monitoring transmissive activity of said selectively associated lines and said switching and first and second means include means for passing line activity indicating information useful for TASI allocation of groups of said trunk channels for carrying information representational signals relative to larger sized groups of said lines in random pair associations spanning the aggregate addressing range of k said modules.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 80 words

Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein: said first means includes means for retentively indicating activity states of information occupying said line slot spaces; said second means includes means for retentively indicating activity states of information occupying said trunk slot spaces; said switching means includes means for interchangeably switching said activity indications; and said apparatus includes means for effectuating TASI allocation of groups of real time slots on said trunk links relative to respectively associated larger sized groups of said lines.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 57 words

Apparatus according to claim 6 including means adaptive to detect potential overloading of a said group of trunk channels and to balance the load on said group by freezing out signals passed from selected lines, in a selective order of priority based upon classes of service pre-associated with said lines and continuity of activity on said lines.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 232 words

In a channel allotment and (VAC) mask formulation system for voice telephone and data transmission using TASI with selective blocking (freezeout) of overloads-- in which multiple real channels recurrent in frames are allotted to a larger number of virtual telephone and data channels contending for said allotments and a mask indicating the allotment of a frame is required to be formulated in a time much shorter than the frame-- multi-priority freezeout logic for eliminating excess contending virtual channels comprising: means operative over an interval much shorter than a frame, relative to said virtual channels, for concurrently distinguishing the number of virtual channels containing: (a) new data activity; (b) either new data activity or continued activity (data or telephone voice); and (c) new activity (data or telephone voice); and means coactive with said distinguishing means for formulating a channel allotment mask containing ordered binary values representing allotment and non-allotment control factors for allotment of said real channels to said virtual channels containing activity; said mask invariably containing less than or equal to a predetermined number of said allotment control factors, said number related to the number of real channels in a frame; and means utilizing said distinguishing means to resolve contention overload due to there being more active virtual channels then allotable real channels; said contention resolution effectively granting transmission precedence to data over telephone voice and to continuing activity over new activity.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 232 words

In a channel allotment and (VAC) mask formulation system for voice telephone and data transmission using TASI with selective blocking (freezeout) of overloads-- in which multiple real channels recurrent in frames are allotted to a larger number of virtual telephone and data channels contending for said allotments and a mask indicating the allotment of a frame is required to be formulated in a time much shorter than the frame-- multi-priority freezeout logic for eliminating excess contending virtual channels comprising: means operative over an interval much shorter than a frame, relative to said virtual channels, for concurrently distinguishing the number of virtual channels containing: (a) new data activity; (b) either new data activity or continued activity (data or telephone voice); and (c) new activity (data or telephone voice); and means coactive with said distinguishing means for formulating a channel allotment mask containing ordered binary values representing allotment and non-allotment control factors for allotment of said real channels to said virtual channels containing activity; said mask invariably containing less than or equal to a predetermined number of said allotment control factors, said number related to the number of real channels in a frame; and means utilizing said distinguishing means to resolve contention overload due to there being more active virtual channels then allotable real channels; said contention resolution effectively granting transmission precedence to data over telephone voice and to continuing activity over new activity.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 33 words

Freezeout logic according to claim 8 in which said means for distinguishing comprises plural counters having "overflow" connections for negatively influencing said formulating means to formulate non-allotment factors for virtual channels containing activity.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 98 words

A time division switch module linked to multiple communication channels; said module having multiple switching sites useful for transposing signals representing voice telephone information traffic and traffic information other than voice telephone information (e.g. data) variously between said communication channels; said module including means associated with individual said sites for transposing control information signals in transpositional association with traffic signals passed through respective sites; and means for utilizing said transposed control signals to assign specific said communication channels selectively in a TASI mode to receive traffic signals transpositioned through a group of sites associated with said specific channels.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 98 words

A time division switch module linked to multiple communication channels; said module having multiple switching sites useful for transposing signals representing voice telephone information traffic and traffic information other than voice telephone information (e.g. data) variously between said communication channels; said module including means associated with individual said sites for transposing control information signals in transpositional association with traffic signals passed through respective sites; and means for utilizing said transposed control signals to assign specific said communication channels selectively in a TASI mode to receive traffic signals transpositioned through a group of sites associated with said specific channels.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 35 words

A switch module in accordance with claim 10 wherein said control information is in a form susceptible of distinguishing the audible activity context of transposed voice telephone traffic signals (e.g. relative to noise and echo).

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 68 words

A switch module in accordance with claim 11 wherein said control information is in a form susceptible of distinguishing associated said sites as connected "in service" and disconnected "out of service", of distinguishing traffic in transit through connected sites as voice telephone information and information other than voice telephone information and of distinguishing voice telephone traffic as having active and inactive "pause or echo" contexts of audible intelligibility.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 68 words

A switch module in accordance with claim 10 in combination with means for receiving remotely originated traffic information signals, via communication channels assigned remotely in a TASI mode, in association with assignment information distinguishing sources of said received traffic signals; and means for utilizing said associated assignment information to steer said received traffic to sites of said module preassociated with respective transposition destinations of said received traffic signals.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 92 words

A switch module in accordance with claim 10 in combination with block storing means for storing byte samples of information transposed byte sequentially through individual said sites in order to accumulate samples relative to each site into a multibyte block suitable for conveyance in time concentrated form through a block-capacity time-division communication channel; and means for using control information transposed with said bytes for determining conditions under which a said block-capacity channel in a time division frame of multiple block-capacity channels is assignable in said TASI mode to carry out said conveyance.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 69 words

The combination of claim 14 wherein: the module is operated cyclically in time coordination with the multiplex frame repetition rhythm of said block-capacity channels and assignments of said block-capacity channels are established while the last sample of each block is being passed from the switch to the block storing means, in time for allowing the stored blocks to be transmitted in the next multiplex frame of said communication channels.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1980-06-27	1980-12-27	1981-06-28	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1984-06-27	1984-12-27	1985-06-28	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1988-06-27	1988-12-27	1989-06-28	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Modular slot interchange digital exchange

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