Patent ID: 6396846
Filing Date: 2002-05-28
Classification: H04Q

Abstract:
For use with a communication system channel bank having a plurality of channel unit installation locations in which respective channel units are installable, and having a channel bank controller that is operative to allow communications to be conducted by a channel unit during no more than a prescribed plurality of time slots assigned to its installation location, a method of enabling a first channel unit installed in a first installation location to conduct communications during its assigned plurality of time slots and also during a time slot assigned to a second installation location in which no channel unit is installed, said method comprising the steps of:(a) causing said first channel unit to generate a communication service request signal that stimulates said channel bank controller to sequentially poll channel units installed in successively adjacent ones of said plurality of channel unit installation locations, and thereby cause digital messages stored therein to be clocked to said bank controller, so that said bank controller may determine which installation locations contain channel units that desire to conduct communications; (b) in response to being polled by said bank communications controller, causing said first channel unit to present to said bank controller a digital message associated with said first channel unit conducting communications during a first plurality of time slots assigned to said first channel unit installation location; and (c) in association with said bank controller polling said second channel unit installation location, causing said first channel unit to present to said bank controller a digital message that appears to said bank controller to be sourced from a second channel unit as though installed in said second installation location, but is associated with said first channel unit conducting communications during a time slot assigned to said second channel unit installation location.