Patent ID: 6330328
Filing Date: 2001-12-11
Classification: H04J,H04L,H04M,H04Q

Abstract:
A modular expandable telephone switch comprising:a cabinet having at least one shelf dedicated to function as a common equipment shelf and a first plurality of said shelves dedicated to function as peripheral equipment shelves,each of said shelves having plural card receiving slots, at least one power supply card inserted into one of said slots and a plurality of line cards each shelf providing support for a plurality of telephony ports,each of said common equipment shelves including:(i) a timing and switch array card (""TSA"") carried in one of said slots, said TSA having a local peripheral interface and at least one peripheral equipment interface operatively connected to the backplane of said shelf, and(ii) a call processing card carried in one of said slots,each of said peripheral equipment shelves including a shelf driver unit (""SDU"") carried in one of said slots; and,peripheral equipment cabling means operatively connecting the peripheral equipment interfaces of the TSA of the common control shelf to an SDU of each of said peripheral equipment shelves.