US4173713A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Continuously expandable switching network
Assignee: U S Holding Co Inc
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Filing: 1978-05-25
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Granted: 1979-11-06
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Expires: 1998-05-25
Abstract
Abstract A telephone central office switching network and a basic switching element utilized therein is disclosed herein. The basic switch element has the capability of reflecting traffic entering any of the inlets thereto back to any other traffic inlet and the capability of connecting any of the inlets thereto to any of the outlets therefrom. The basic switch is implemented in the network incorporating the reflection technique, sometimes called a one-sided network in which the outlet from a switching stage is in a preferred embodiment connected to a higher order switching stage such that the outlets of the switching stages are progressively connected in a multistage configuration from the terminal stage into the folding point in increasing order, thereby enabling the outlets of the higher order stages to be used as reflection ports while simultaneously remaining available for connection to higher order switching stages without the necessity of recabling. A continuously expandable switching network is thus provided wherein incoming traffic penetrates the network only to the degree necessary to complete the required signal connection and is implementable either in space division configuration, time division configuration or any combination thereof, and utilizing either analog or digital encoding techniques.
Inventors
- 👤 Kenneth F. Giesken
- 👤 John M. Cotton
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-25 05:44
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04Q; H04Q11/00; H04Q11/04; H04J; H04J3/00; H04J3/02; H04J3/08
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 20
Claim 1
Independent Claim
146 words
A plurality of switches arranged in a plurality of stages of said switches to comprise an expandable switching network with each of said switches comprising: means for providing a plurality of inlets for receiving digital signals and a plurality of outlets; means for adapting each of said outlets to selectively reflect said digital signals back to any of said inlets; means for selectively coupling any of said inlets to any of said outlets to provide an output for said digital signals out of said switch from said outlets; means for coupling said signals from the outlets of the switches of any of said stages of switches to the inlets of switches of higher order switching stages; and means for reserving said outlets of any of said switches for coupling said digital signals from said outlets to the inlets of switches of said higher order switching stages.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
146 words
A plurality of switches arranged in a plurality of stages of said switches to comprise an expandable switching network with each of said switches comprising: means for providing a plurality of inlets for receiving digital signals and a plurality of outlets; means for adapting each of said outlets to selectively reflect said digital signals back to any of said inlets; means for selectively coupling any of said inlets to any of said outlets to provide an output for said digital signals out of said switch from said outlets; means for coupling said signals from the outlets of the switches of any of said stages of switches to the inlets of switches of higher order switching stages; and means for reserving said outlets of any of said switches for coupling said digital signals from said outlets to the inlets of switches of said higher order switching stages.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
15 words
A switching network in accordance with claim 1 wherein said switches are space division switches.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
15 words
A switching network in accordance with claim 1 wherein said switches are time division switches.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
19 words
A switching network in accordance with claim 1 wherein said switches are combined space division and time division switches.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
58 words
A switching network in accordance with claim 1 further comprising: traffic path selection control means for controlling the path of said digital signals through the network; and data storage means for deriving a control signal for accessing said traffic path selection control means such that said control signal is coupled over the same path as said digital signals.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
30 words
A switching network in accordance with claim 5 wherein said digital signals are comprised of a series of samples representing a speech waveform, each of said samples being digitally encoded.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
19 words
A switching network in accordance with claim 6 wherein said encoded digital signals are linear pulse code modulated signals.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
19 words
A switching network in accordance with claim 6 wherein said digital signals are comprised of digitally encoded analog signals.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
51 words
A switching network in accordance with claim 1 wherein each of said inlets and said outlets of said switches includes an input and an output and wherein each of said inputs and outputs of each of said inlets and said outlets receives time division multiplexed signals in a plurality of channels.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
41 words
A combination in accordance with claim 1 including control means for reflecting said digital signals after completion of a partial coupling thru said network, such that said digital signals penetrate said network to the stage required to complete a desired connection.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
156 words
In a telephone switching system for intercoupling a plurality of lines and trunks, an expandable switching network comprised of a plurality of switches, arranged in a plurality of stages, each of said switches comprising: means for providing a plurality of inlets for receiving digital signals and a plurality of outlets; means for adapting each of said outlets to selectively reflect said digital signals back to any of said inlets; means for selectively coupling any of said inlets to any of said outlets to provide an output for said digital signals out of said switch from said outlets; means for coupling said digital signals from the outlets of the switches of any of said stages of switches to the inlets of switches of higher order switching stages; and means for reserving said outlets of any of said switches for coupling said digital signals from said outlets to the outlets of switches of said higher order switching stages.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
156 words
In a telephone switching system for intercoupling a plurality of lines and trunks, an expandable switching network comprised of a plurality of switches, arranged in a plurality of stages, each of said switches comprising: means for providing a plurality of inlets for receiving digital signals and a plurality of outlets; means for adapting each of said outlets to selectively reflect said digital signals back to any of said inlets; means for selectively coupling any of said inlets to any of said outlets to provide an output for said digital signals out of said switch from said outlets; means for coupling said digital signals from the outlets of the switches of any of said stages of switches to the inlets of switches of higher order switching stages; and means for reserving said outlets of any of said switches for coupling said digital signals from said outlets to the outlets of switches of said higher order switching stages.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
60 words
In a telephone switching exchange in accordance with claim 11, further comprising: traffic path selection control means for controlling the path of said digital signals through the network; and data storage means for deriving a control signal for accessing said traffic path selection control means such that said control signal is coupled over the same path as said digital signals.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
169 words
A method for providing an expandable switching network from a plurality of switches comprising for each of said switches the steps of: receiving a plurality of digital signals at a plurality of inlets of said switch; providing a plurality of outlets from said switch to which said signals are selectively coupled from said inlets; adapting each of said outlets to selectively reflect said digital signals coupled thereto back to any of said inlets; selectively coupling signals from any of said inlets to any of said outlets to provide an output for said digital signals out of said switch from said outlets; arranging a plurality of said switches into a network of a plurality of stages of said switches; coupling signals from the outlets of the switches of any of said stages of switches to the inlets of switches of higher order switching stages; and reserving the outlets of any of said switches for coupling said digital signals from said outlets to the inlets of said higher order switching stages.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
169 words
A method for providing an expandable switching network from a plurality of switches comprising for each of said switches the steps of: receiving a plurality of digital signals at a plurality of inlets of said switch; providing a plurality of outlets from said switch to which said signals are selectively coupled from said inlets; adapting each of said outlets to selectively reflect said digital signals coupled thereto back to any of said inlets; selectively coupling signals from any of said inlets to any of said outlets to provide an output for said digital signals out of said switch from said outlets; arranging a plurality of said switches into a network of a plurality of stages of said switches; coupling signals from the outlets of the switches of any of said stages of switches to the inlets of switches of higher order switching stages; and reserving the outlets of any of said switches for coupling said digital signals from said outlets to the inlets of said higher order switching stages.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
200 words
A method for expanding the size of a switching network comprising the steps of: establishing a plurality of stages of switches, each of said switches having two or more inlets and two or more outlets and being adapted to selectively reflect digital signals entering any inlet thereto back to any other inlet thereof and to couple said signals from any inlet to any outlet; selectively coupling signals from the outlets of the switches of any of said stages to the inlets of switches of higher order switching stages of said switching network; adding an additional stage of switches, each of said switches of said additional stage having two or more inlets and two or more outlets and being adapted to selectively reflect digital signals entering any inlet thereto back to any inlet thereof and to couple said signals from any inlet to any outlet; and selectively coupling signals from the outlets of the plurality of stages of switches to the inlets of the switches of said additional stage whereby the outlets of said additional stage of switches are adapted for reflection of said signals and are also reserved for coupling said signals from said outlets to higher order switching stages.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
200 words
A method for expanding the size of a switching network comprising the steps of: establishing a plurality of stages of switches, each of said switches having two or more inlets and two or more outlets and being adapted to selectively reflect digital signals entering any inlet thereto back to any other inlet thereof and to couple said signals from any inlet to any outlet; selectively coupling signals from the outlets of the switches of any of said stages to the inlets of switches of higher order switching stages of said switching network; adding an additional stage of switches, each of said switches of said additional stage having two or more inlets and two or more outlets and being adapted to selectively reflect digital signals entering any inlet thereto back to any inlet thereof and to couple said signals from any inlet to any outlet; and selectively coupling signals from the outlets of the plurality of stages of switches to the inlets of the switches of said additional stage whereby the outlets of said additional stage of switches are adapted for reflection of said signals and are also reserved for coupling said signals from said outlets to higher order switching stages.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
38 words
A method in accordance with claim 14 wherein said selectively coupling step further provides that no previously coupled outlets of switches in any of said plurality of stages of switches are physically uncoupled from inlets of other switches.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
15 words
A switching network in accordance with claim 1 wherein said network is a one-sided network.
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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) | 1982-11-05 | 1983-05-07 | 1983-11-06 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1986-11-05 | 1987-05-07 | 1987-11-06 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1990-11-05 | 1991-05-07 | 1991-11-06 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |