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Title: Arrangement and method for the localized self-control of randomly allotted time slots to audio ports
Claims: Now that the invention has been described, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is: 1. In a time-shared communication switching system having a plurality of audio ports, each of which has gating means for coupling audio signals to a common transmission medium, channel counter means for providing a plurality of time slot identity bits, each defining a distinct time slot, and a common control for addressing and providing control signals to said audio ports, the improvement comprising a memory and control means including comparator means associated with each of said audio ports, said plurality of time slotted identity bits being coupled in multiple to said audio ports, said audio ports each being addressed by the common control in a specific time slot intended to be allotted to that audio port, any one of said audio ports allottable to any time slot, with said allotment being in a random fashion, a plurality of said audio ports addressable during the same time slot whereby any number of audio ports can be multiplexed for conferencing, said control means being operated as a result of said audio port being addressed to cause the time slot identity bits corresponding to the time slot to be allotted to that audio port to be coupled into and stored in said memory, said comparator means comprising said stored time slot identity bits with each of said plurality of time slot identity bits coupled in multiple to said audio ports and upon determining a match enabling the gating means during the allotted time slot to couple the audio signals onto the common transmission medium, whereby said allotted time slot identity is stored and subsequently used independently of the common control to gate the audio signals onto the common transmission medium. 2. In a time-shared communication switching system, the improvement of claim 1, wherein said plurality of audio ports are assigned in groups of a pre-determined number of audio ports to individual ones of a plurality of cards, each of said cards comprising decoder means for decoding address bits coupled thereto in multiple from the common control and for enabling said control means associated with the addressed one of said audio ports. 3. In a time-shared communication switching system, the improvement of claim 2, wherein each of said decoder means is enabled by said common control to decode said address bits by a control signal dedicated to each of said cards, whereby only one of said decoder means is enabled to decode said address bits coupled thereto in multiple from said common control. 4. In a time-shared communication switching system, the improvement of claim 3, wherein said control means further comprises output gating means and latch means having a first output coupled to said output gating means and a second output coupled to said memory, said decoder means upon being enabled and decoding said address bits operating said latch means to a set state to gate said time slot identity bits into said memory, the output of said comparator means being coupled to said output gating means, said output gating means being enabled when said latch means is in said set state and said comparator finds a match to enable the gating means during the allotted time slot to couple the audio signals onto the common transmission medium. 5. In a time-shared communication switching system, the improvement of claim 1 wherein said control means further comprises output gating means and latch means having a first ouptut coupled to said output gating means and a second output coupled to said memory, said latch means being operated to a set state when said audio port with which it is associated is addressed to gate said time slot identity bits into said memory. 6. In a time-shared communication switching system, the improvement of claim 5 wherein the output of said comparator means is coupled to said output gating means, said output gating means being enabled when said latch means is operated to said set state and said comparator fidns a match. 7. In a time-shared communication switching system, the improvement of claim 4 wherein the output of said output gating means is coupled in multiple to a group enable control lead, for higher order multiplexing. 8. In a time-shared communication switching system, the improvement of claim 4 wherein said control means further comprises test gate means having its output coupled to a remote rest location for providing thereto a test signal, the outputs of said decoder means and said output gating means being coupled to said test gate, a control signal from said common control being coupled to said test gate, whereby said test gate is enabled to output said test signal when said output gating means and said decoder means are enabled in coincidence with said control signal from said common control. 9. In a time-shared communication switching system, the improvement of claim 8, wherein said latch means further comprises an inhibit input which when enabled prevents said latch means from being operated from a set state, said control signal from said common control being coupled to said inhibit input to enable it. Other info: Inventors: Srivastava, Dinesh K. (Westmont, IL, US) Application Number: 484390 Filing Date: 1974-07-01 Publication_date: 1976-05-25 Assignee: GTE Automatic Electric Laboratories Incorporated (Northlake, IL) Primary Class(es): 370/378 370/263, 370/458 Other Classes: US Patent Ref:
Other Refs: Primary Examiner: Claffy, Kathleen H. Assistant Examiner: Popek, Joseph Attorney: Black; Robert J. |
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