Abstract: There is disclosed a paged-mapped multi-line telephone communication system where a plurality of line selection keys can be paged to a central control module for an easier and more convenient operation. The operator has a view of all available lines and their status on various modules that are connected to the control module. The operator can select a line through a simplified pagination scheme. A set of lines represented on the auxiliary modules can be transferred to the control module where the operator selects the desired line by pressing the key corresponding to the line which was represented in the page transferred to the control module. To make an outgoing call, or to retrieve a call from another station from hold, the user would first depress the page key on the auxiliary module corresponding to the page or grouping in which the line representation resides.

Abstract: There is disclosed a multi-line telephone communications system where the need for the hundreds of conductors that are necessary to connect each station to the control and switching equipment is eliminated. This is achieved by replacing the status indicating leads with analog signals impressed upon the voice leads. A specific signal level is assigned to each of the ring, busy, idle and hold functions so that the voice leads carry both the audio signal and status information signal for each line selectable at the telephone station. In response to activation of the telephone keys by the user a cross point switch establishes a voice signal connection between a selected voice line and a talk path associated with the selecting telephone station. A status signal representative of the status of at least the connected voice line and distinct from voice signals is impressed upon the voice line. This status signal is detected and processed for activating the status indicators at each telephone station.