Patent ID: 6381239
Filing Date: 2002-04-30
Classification: H04M,H04Q

Abstract:
A configurable multiple application telephone switch for connecting telephone calls between communication sources and communication destinations wherein said switch includes at least one group of one or more shelves wherein each said shelf includes a backplane for interconnecting said communication sources and said communication destinations, each said backplane having a plurality of backplane slots with each backplane slot associated with a unique identifier, each said group further comprising:data bus means having a plurality of time slots for transferring telephone call information between said communication sources and said communication destinations; message bus means for transferring messages that initiate communications between said communication sources and said communication destinations; a plurality of switching means for interfacing each said communication source and each said communication destination to a corresponding shelf; management means for selectively assigning various quantities of said time slots to each said switching means based on a desired ratio of time slots per communication sources and communication destinations interfaced by that switching means to control traffic concentration, wherein each said switching means includes: message means for exchanging said messages that initiate communications between said communication sources and said communication destinations via said message bus means; time slot selection means for selecting one of said assigned time slots for transferring said telephone call information onto said data bus means in response to said messages; and data transfer means for placing said telephone call information onto said data bus means during said selected assigned time slots to facilitate transference of said telephone call information between said switching means interfacing said communication sources and said switching means interfacing said communication destinations in order to establish connections for said telephone calls; wherein at least one of said plurality of switching means is disposed on each said shelf; and administration means for receiving and maintaining configuration information including said time slot assignments from said management means and distributing said configuration information to each said switching means via said message bus means.