Patent GB-1021816-A (GB)
Title: Electronic switching telephone system
IPC: H04Q3/52
Filed: 1963-08-08
Abstract: 1,021,816. Automatic exchange systems. STANDARD TELEPHONES & CABLES Ltd. Aug. 8, 1963 [Aug. 13, 1962], No. 31323/63. Heading H4K. In a system in which connections are set up between inlets and outlets over a network of cascaded cross-point matrices utilizing PNPN diodes, each outlet is allotted a time position in a repetitive cycle and is connected to a link circuit which controls the progress of a call, a connection between a marked inlet and a marked outlet being effected by extending during the time position of the outlet a plurality of self-seeking switching paths through the network to the marked outlet. The switching network is of the type described in Specification 953,895. The link circuits each include a register and the electronic equivalents of the A, B and C relays. There are two types of link, the first type being initially taken into use for all calls and the second type subsequently being used if the dialled digits indicate that a trunk call or some special class of service call is being made. Link allotter and call-enabling circuit (Fig. 4). A distributer 402 passes pulses from source 401 to each link in turn, e.g. in time position 22 it pulses lead 403 leading to link 22 (Fig. 3). Provided that sequence switch 301 in the link is at " O " i.e. the link is free, a pulse is returned on lead 43<SP>1</SP> to a call-enable circuit 405 common to all the links. This pulse turns off transistor 428 and in addition a transistor 418, pulsed over lead 406 from source 401, turns-on, thereby switching off 423. Consequently gate 432 closes and 437 conducts and turns-off 439. A clamping potential at P2 normally applied via contacts R1 to the common line-circuit-enabling lead 43 is thereby removed. In the event that the link is busy, gate 321 is inhibited and no pulse is returned on lead 43<SP>1</SP> to circuit 405, whereby transistor 439 remains on and applies the clamping potential to lead 43. Setting up a call.-In response to the looping of a line, transistor 207 switches on, whereby capacitor 225 charges and renders 208 conducting. Consequently point P3 in the line circuit is clamped, via transistor 208 and lead 43, to the potential at point P2 in the enabling circuit. When a free link is allotted during a particular time period, the clamp on P3 is removed and due to capacitor 218a, a slowly rising positive pulse is applied to point X at this line circuit's inlet to the switching network. A marking pulse is similarly applied to the network inlets of any other calling line. In the link during this time period, sequence switch 301 which is in position " O " opens AND gate 310 and thus an enabling pulse is passed via gate 311 to a marker 313 which thereby marks this link circuit's outlet 7 from the network. One only of the possible paths between the marked inlets and the marked outlet of the network fires and in so doing it locks out the remainder so that one of the calling lines is chosen in random manner and is connected to the link. On completion of a path, transistor 208 turns off and the change of potential at point Y is detected by circuit A which then steps the sequence switch to position 1. Dialling tone is reverted. In addition, the stepping of the sequence switch terminates the enabling signal from gates 310 and 311, operates a busy-marking bi-stable circuit 318 which then inhibits AND gates 312 and 321 and energizes one input of an AND gate 325 to the tens register 305. The impulses of the first digit are repeated via circuit A to the register, the circuit B maintaining the holding current for the operated diodes in the network during impulsing and at the end of the train the circuit C steps on the sequence switch. The units digit is similarly recorded and switch 301 then steps through position 3 to position 4. When lead 403 is next pulsed, gate 331 opens so as to energize two out of the twenty tens and units wires in marking multiple 40 and to enable marker 332 which marks outlet Y1 of the network. In the called line circuit transistor 206 is turned on by the simultaneous marking of a tens and units wire viz. 240 and 241 and consequently 207 switches on. As before, a path through the network is fired but in this case only the inlet (X) from the selected line circuit is marked. The speech path is then completed by opening gate 335. Release.-When either subscriber hangs up, his transistor 207 turns-off and consequently there is a change of potential at P3. This is detected by A so that after a certain interval C operates to step the sequence switch to position 5. The register and bi-stable circuit 318 are thus reset, the holding circuits in markers 315 and 315 are de-energized and the sequence switch is returned to its initial i.e. " O " position. Seizing special features link.-Subscribers entitled to a special class of service, i.e. executive break-in, conversation timing, camp-on busy, conference call &c. are connected via a network 227 to a class of service bus which is common to all links. Consequently, a marking indicative of the class of service appropriate to a subscriber is applied to this bus whenever his line circuit is in a calling condition, this marking being detected (by means not shown) in the link circuit. A request for a special purpose link is normally indicated by the value of the tens digit dialled so that when the lead 403 is next pulsed after the tens digit is recorded, both inputs of AND gate 330a are marked and a marker 341 of an appropriate special features link is seized. The marker returns a signal on lead 342 to link 22, thereby inhibiting busy tone from a lead 343, releasing marker 313 and starting a pulsing circuit P which drives the sequence switch to position 5 in order to complete the release of the original link. Busy tone is reverted, 343 not being inhibited in this case, if the appropriate special link is not available. The release of marker 313 opens the holding current circuit for the operated diodes in the network between link 22 and the line circuit 21 whereby the potential at point P3 starts to rise, transistor 208 remaining off at this time. A capacitor 218b slows the rise time of the potential at P3 whereby a slowly rising positive pulse is again applied to point X so that a new path through the switching network to the special features link can fire. It should be noted that the special features links are not under the control of the pulse source 401. Fault detector (Figs. 4 and 5). Pulses from source 401 are applied to a normal and a standby call enabling circuit 405 and 407 respectively and to a comparator circuit 406 all of which are identical and it is assumed that as long as these circuits operate in synchronism no fault exists. Thus should a fault occur in circuit 405, i.e. transistors 439 and 439a not on or off together, then transistor 455 (439 on, 439a off) or transistor 456 (439 off, 439a on) turns-on and applies a negative going pulse over resistor 464 to an alarm circuit 505 so that relay R drops back and SB comes up. Consequently, lead 43 is connected via contacts SB1 to the stand-by call-enabling circuit and an audible or visible minor alarm 520 is operated. If now synchronism between circuits 406 and 407 is lost an error detector 451 operates so as to trigger bi-stable circuit 506 and hence energize major alarm 526.