Abstract: A telecommunication switching system includes a number of control circuits each of which is common to a plurality of line circuits and is coupled through time division multiplex links with two processor controlled interface circuits which are further coupled to a switching network. Line scanning information is processed in the control circuits to reduce the work load of the processor controlled interface circuits. Said line scanning information is then transmitted in the TDM links to the processor controlled interface circuits. The transmission priority among the control circuits is determined by a priority arrangement established for the system. A channel assignment controls the allocation of channels of the TDM links leading to parts of the line circuits.

Abstract: A diagnostic system for a telecommunications system including a digital switching network is controlled via a plurality of data processors. Each of the distributed data processors has a unique address and has diagnostic data stored therein for use in performing diagnostics in the switching network. The switching network includes digital switching elements, each having bidirectional ports for receiving and transmitting digital signals, and each of the bidirectional ports also having a unique address in the network. Diagnostic paths are established under processor control between the digital switching elements and the data processors.

Abstract: A multiport single sided switching element is described for providing space and time switching between the input ports thereof and the output ports thereof in response to digital command signals for frames of digitally encoded data in a plurality of channels which is phase (bit) asynchronously coupled to any port of the switching element, the command signals being in for example the same channels as is the data.

Abstract: A distributed control digital switching system is described in which a plurality of subscriber lines and trunks are provided with a switched access to various processing functions shared over a plurality of time shared multiplexed lines. Each processor of a first group of processors is dedicated to a group of terminals such as subscriber lines or trunks, and communicate with processors in a second group to provide pooled processing functions to one or more of said groups of terminals through a digital switching matrix. Processors in the first group perform a first set of processing functions, such as path set up and processors of the second group perform a second set of processing functions, such as call control.

Abstract: A distributed control digital switching network is configured as a group switch having a plurality of stages of multiport single sided switching elements for selectively interconnecting a plurality of input terminals via the transmission paths established through the network by path selection control signals which are multiplexed on common transmission links to and through the network together with digitally encoded data from the terminals on common transmission paths such that data is received phase asynchronously at each stage of the network and is either coupled to a higher order stage of the network or folded back through the network by reflection to interconnect terminals switched by the network. The single-sided switching elements are selectively operable as single-sided or multi-sided in accordance with their position in the network.

Abstract: This invention is concerned with a processor-overload relief facility in a time division multiplex (t.d.m.) processor-controlled exchanges. Under overload conditions rejection of new calls may be required until this condition is relieved and this proposal is to meet the relief function by peripheral hardware while retaining the ability to process emergency (999) calls during overload. An incoming signalling unit which is responsive to incoming seize, dialling and other signals, is provided with multi-bit stores on a one per channel basis; each such store interfacing with processor on a read/write basis. Normally the signalling unit responds to any incoming channel-seized condition and sets the `seize` bit (S) in the appropriate channel store which reports seizure to the processor. Dialled pulses are detected and accumulated in the store, and each complete digit is transferred to the processor for call control purposes.