Abstract: A method and apparatus for transmitting messages from one processor to a plurality of other processors in a distributed processing system having no hardware message broadcast facilities. The transmitting processor includes a broadcast program process for controlling the transmission of any messages destined for a plurality of other processors. Different client processes in the transmitting processor request the broadcast process to transmit a broadcast message. The single broadcast process controls the number of individual messages which are sent out sequentially to each of the receiving processors in such a way as to ensure that the broadcast messages do not interfere with other message traffic that frequently has tighter delivery time requirements. The broadcast process transmits the broadcast messages to each of the plurality of recipient processors without waiting for acknowledgment response messages from any of these processors.

Abstract: In a distributed processing telecommunication switching system comprising a plurality of switching modules, the individual modules control substantially all telephone call control processing actions, including the selection of an available port of a multiport hunt group, without requiring the assistance of a central processor. Each module includes a processor, a plurality of ports connected to customer lines and interoffice trunks, a plurality of outlets for setting up intermodule connections, and a switching network for interconnecting ports and outlets within a module. The module processors communicate with each other by a high speed common data communication facility connected to all processors. This data communication facility is used for communicating intermodule call control messages and port availability data to allow port hunts to be accomplished without using a central processor.