Abstract: A method of diverting a hunting function of a PSTN central office switch is provided. The method diverts a hunting function in the event a channel within a hunting group is available but a call can not be completed. The method comprises detecting a status of a plurality of user channels to determine whether all user channels associated with the hunting group are in use and providing a hunting diversion message to the PSTN central office switch in response to determining that all user channels associated with the hunting group are in use. The method also comprises detecting at least one user channel associated with the hunting group is available for an inbound call and providing a hunting enable message to the PSTN central office switch in response to determining that at least one user channel associated with the hunting group is available for an inbound call.

Abstract: A routing table circuit for a router has one or more input ports and output ports for message communication. In the routing table circuit, one or more routing table memories store a plurality of routing table arrays. The routing table arrays are arranged hierarchically in levels, and each routing table array is associated with a predetermined subset of prefixes. Each routing table array has entries. The entries include a block default route pointer field to store a block default route pointer, if any, and a routing field. The route engine may access any level of table array by using a next level route pointer stored in the routing field. Using the block default route and the routing field, the present invention further reduces the number of memory accesses and the update cost for route insertion and deletion by identifying and skipping elements that do not require route updating.

Abstract: A method of hunting for a communication channel in a communication system where a plurality of communication lines each have a plurality of communication channels includes the steps of maintaining a record of current channel statuses of the communication channels with respect to all the communication lines, and distributing busy channels evenly among the communication lines by selecting a communication channel based on the record of channel statuses and assigning the selected communication channel to a call.

Abstract: Network resources for a call between a calling party and a called party are allocated. The network resources for the call are reserved based on a reservation request. The network resources are reserved before any one network resource from the reserved network resources is committed. The reserved network resources for the call are committed when a called party indicates acceptance for the call.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is described for providing extended subscriber features, e.g., equal access, to otherwise non-conforming central offices of a telephone switching system. According to the invention, a register module is interposed between the subscriber line and an input of the central office for intercepting digits from the subscriber line intended for the central office and for receiving subscriber information from the central office identifying the subscriber line. The register module includes a memory having a plurality of address locations and a control circuit for analyzing the intercepted digits to determine whether processing of the subscriber call requires an extended subscriber feature. If so, the intercepted digits are processed to generate a coded signal, the coded signal including the address location where the stored digits and the subscriber information resides in the memory.

Abstract: A method for error-protected switching operation of switching devices of a high-voltage switching station. The current operational state of the station is determined from the signals provided by position indicating contacts (K.sub.I, K.sub.II, K.sub.III) of the switching devices. Using the obtained operational state, switching operation request commands (for example KA) are checked for release or blocking status by means of error-protected switching interlocking rules. In the case of changes in the topological configuration of the high-voltage switching station and/or in the case of changes of the error-protected switching interlocking rules, it is possible to adapt the basic method to these changes in a simple manner and without losing operational reliabilty. This is achieved by decoupling the topological configuration of the high-voltage switching station from the error-protected switching interlocking rules.