Patent GB-1222532-A (GB)
Title: Process control system
Inventor: LAWSON DAVID ARTHUR
IPC: G06F17/00
Filed: 1968-05-09
Abstract: 1,222,532. Automatic exchange systems. WESTERN ELECTRIC CO. Inc. 9 May, 1968 [15 May, 1967], No. 21987/68. Heading H4K. A program controlled system, such as a telephone exchange, in which demands for service originate from a number of sources the service being provided by hardware elements, such as the elements of a switching network, has a processor in which a memory map of the active/ inactive condition of the system hardware elements is maintained along with a task record of the demand sources and hardware elements associated with each task, conditions of faulty operation instituting an audit for assessing in the light of surrounding circumstances the likely truth of the record of each task being performed and, consequent upon the audit, an investigation being undertaken to deal with false data occurring in the memory map of the hardware elements. Whereas it is possible with some system data that becomes mutilated to reconstruct a correct record on the basis of inviolable information elsewhere in the system, the hardware memory map, being of a transient character, cannot be corrected in the same manner. Switching network-Differentially wound ferreed matrix arrays in two stages comprise each of the four-wire trunk link networks 121, 122, Fig. 1, providing connections between incoming and outgoing trunk circuits and service circuits appearing on trunk frame 154. Paths established by operation of ferreed cross points in the network are completed by operation of wire spring cut-through relays in the trunk and service circuits. Connections between circuits in the trunk frame may be set up over both link networks or may be set up by paths back and forth across just one of the link networks. A hardware map of the network is kept in the processor 100 to indicate the operational states of all network terminals and links and a service task map is kept to record the constituent parts of every established or reserved path in the network. Each network has a control circuit accepting commands from the processor. The trunk frame 154 has a ferrod matrix scanner to indicate supervisory states of trunk and service circuits to the processor, and has a signal distributer which with operate signals of one polarity or the other respectively operate or release magnetically latching relays in the trunk and service circuits on command from the processor. Trunk circuits.-The four-wire trunk circuits shown in Fig. 2 employ E and M signalling and have signal receiving ferrods 204, path continuity ferrods 203, and magnetically latching signal sending relays M and cut-through relays CT. With the relays M and CT released the trunk is idle; with CT operated alone the trunk is waiting for reply; while with both M and CT operated the trunk is part of a talking connection. Associated with each so-called N- ferrod 203 and each so-called E-ferrod 204, bits N1, N2, and T1, T2, respectively, are stored in the call store of the processor, N1 and T1 indicating the state of the ferrods when last scanned and N2 and T2 indicating whether the states of the ferrods are to be considered or ignored. The bits N and T are service task information and are termed trunk state bits. Processor (Figs. 3, 4, 5, 10 and 11, not shown).-The processor is that disclosed in Specifications 1,081,811 to 1,081,817 which describe the Bell System's No. 1 Electronic Switching System. The program store has its data arranged as shown in Fig. 6, the so-called generic program and other data of fixed content, which is common to all switching systems within a given class as defined by traffic and service features, being stored in fixed addresses in location 1 of the store, the data comprising in general all sequences necessary to implement call processing and maintenance functions. So-called mutually exclusive programs, which are programs that are peculiar to the form, such as concentration ratio, of particular exchanges at the time of installation are placed in location 2 of the store and are termed office parameters. Some short sequences of prgram order words are placed in location 1 along with generic data even though they are peculiar to particular exchanges, such program sequences being selected by "feature points" addressed in location 3. Locations 4 and 5 of the program store hold data by means of which the variable content parts B and C of the call store, Fig. 7, can be initially set up. Program sequences originating in the generic location 1 elicit data from location 4 which, according to the particular exchange, directs attention to data in location 5 determining the particular data required in the call store. The pointers in location 4 also direct attention to data in location 5 in the course of "audit" sequences of the generic program. Access to locations 4 and 5 of the program store is not required during call processing the sequences of which direct access to location B of the call store, Fig. 7, the data accessed in location B redirecting attention to location C to gain access to the several types of register when necessary. Registers, such as originating registers, are allotted for use by means of a head cell word indicating the address of the register to be assigned next, that being the register that has been idle longest, and an end cell word giving the register last to be assigned; these words being in location B of the call store. Each originating register comprises a block of 16 words W, word W1 indicating call state and W2 being a link word indentifying the register next to be assigned which link word is obtained when a register becomes idle, its address being written as the link word in the register previously last to fall idle as indicated by the end cell, the link word being transferred to the head cell when the register is eventually taken into use. Word W3 shows the address of an associated call signalling receiver register while words W4-W16 accumulate call signal information. Call signal receivers, included among the service circuits in the trunk frame, provide the source of information which is first placed in call signalling receiver registers before being transferred to an associated originating register. Call signal receiving registers, Fig. 12, not shown, are provided one-for-one with call signal receivers, an associated pair being put into service following the allotment of an originating register. Each call signal receiving register comprises a word containing the address of the associated originating register and a counter for received digits, a word for the program address of processing sequence required by the originating register, a word identifying a scanner for use in conjunction with multi-frequency signal receivers, and a word providing a link address for next allotment in a linked scheme with head and end cells in location B of the call store. Ringing registers and disconnect registers are also provided. Service task information is recorded in call registers and network terminal registers in location C of the call store. Call registers indicate whether the register is active, whether the call being supervised is incomplete (waiting for an answer) or complete (talking connection made), and record the network numbers of originating and terminating terminals and the network elements employed therebetween. Network terminal registers are provided one for each terminal and record the address of any associated call register and a call progress code which indicates if the terminal is idle, is served by a processing register, is out of service, or is served by a call register. Call signal scanning, Fig. 12 sections B and G, not shown, is conducted over groups of 16 supervisory elements, the elements of a group being treated in parallel and being associated with a scanner row of which a maximum of 16 is provided corresponding to a maximum number of 256 call signalling receivers. Associated with the scanner rows are corresponding words giving scanner and scanner row addresses, words giving the addresses of signalling receiver registers of the receivers being scanned, and words giving program addresses to which the scanner returns after interruption in the normal course of processing. The scanner rows are grouped under entry addresses into one half which is active in odd interrupt intervals and the other half which is active in even interrupt intervals. Since scanning is a repetitive function processing time is saved, albeit that storage space is to some extent wasted, by locating the scanning data in section B of the call store. Data, indicated by pointers and head and end cell addresses in location 7 of the program store, defines the characteristics of associated lines and trunks and is accessible to the generic program by way of pointers in location 6 of the program store. Such data is termed translation data and examples given are calling restrictions placed on lines which are members of business groups and lines which on origination require the assistance of an operator as is required where physical disability prevents dialling. Analysis and correction of data.-Maintenance functions are undertaken at the highest levels of a hierarchy of program interrupts. Normal progression of call processing and hardware performance is kept under surveillance; hardware faults resulting in direct remedial action but program trouble require interrupt. Memory data is also surveyed on a routine basis, generic tables being regenerated, and simple audit procedures being undertaken, from time to time. Audits are available in a hierarchy and become more extensive according to trouble encountered. Lower level audits regenerate data and limit processing of calls to some extent. The highest level of auditing is introduced on the hypothesis that disagreement exists between store data and the actual state of hardware that it purports to represent or that memory data has been mutilated to such an extent that it has become deg