Switching system for integrated voice/data communications

Claim 1

In a communications switching system having a switching matrix having an array of crosspoints to interconnect circuit and data input-output lines of the matrix, the system also having a plurality of network nodes each coupled to one of the input-output lines, each node also receiving signals being sent from terminals coupled thereto, said signals sent to said each node, being bound for a plurality of input-output lines of said matrix, a method of switching signals through the matrix from said nodes, comprising the steps of: (a) sending at least one request mask to the controller of the switching matrix from each of the nodes, each mask being either a circuit request mask or a data request mask, each circuit request mask or data request mask containing requests for connections to respective selected circuit or data input-output lines, respectively; (b) selecting one circuit mask, sent from one of the nodes, from circuit masks sent to the controller in step (a); (c) establishing connections from one of said circuit input-output lines coupled to said one of the nodes of step (b), through the switching matrix, to one of the respective selected circuit input-output lines of the matrix requested in the circuit request mask selected in step (b); (d) grouping synchronous signals (of said signals) bound for said one of the selected circuit input-output lines, of step (c), into a frame; (e) transmitting the frame of step (d) through the connections established in step (c); (f) repeating steps (b) and (c) after each establishment of connections as in step (c), but selecting as in step (b) with each repetition of this step (that is step (f)), any one of the circuit masks sent to the controller in step (a) from nodes not currently transmitting synchronous signals to respective circuit input-output lines of the matrix, this step (that is step (f)), along with all repetitions thereof, being performed within a predetermined time interval; (g) repeating steps (d) and (e) immediately after, the establishment of each set of respective connections in steps (c) and (f), this step being repeated within said predetermined time interval until the frames formed in step (e) and this step have been transmitted, this step being repeated so that frames from several of the nodes may be transmitted to respective selected input-output lines at the same time; (h) selecting one data request mask from said data request masks sent to the controller in step (a) from one of the nodes, after said circuit request masks have been selected as in steps (b) and (f); (i) establishing connections: from one of said data input-output lines coupled to said one of the nodes of step (h), though the switching matrix, to one of the respective data input-output lines of the matrix requested in the data request mask selected in step (h); (j) transmitting asynchronous signals of said signals from said one node of steps (h) and (i) through the connections established in step (i); and (k) repeating steps (h), (i) and (j) after each establishment of connections as in step (i), but selecting as in step (h), with each repetition of this step, any one of the data request masks sent to the controller in step (a) from nodes not currently transmitting asynchronous signals to respective data input-output lines, this step being repeated so that asynchronous signals from several nodes may be transmitted to respective selected outputs at the same time, and this step, along with all repetitions thereof, being performed within said predetermined time interval, but after all connections in response to circuit request masks have been established as in steps (c) and (f).