Automatic transfer arrangement for telephone system

Claim 2

A transfer circuit for use in a multiplex signal transmission system arranged for transmitting pulse code modulated signals between two terminals and including means establishing a normal signal transmission path, means establishing a spare signal transmission path, and alarm means in each of the terminals for generating an alarm signal in response to a fault in signal reception, the transfer circuit being effective in response to an alarm signal from the alarm means to disconnect the normal path means and to connect the spare path means in place of the normal path means, and comprising at each terminal: a. first switching means for normally connecting signal transmitting and receiving equipment at its terminal to the normal path means, b. second switching means for normally connecting the spare path means to monitoring equipment at its terminal, c. first circuit means interconnecting the first and second switching means so that when said switching means are operated the transmitting and receiving equipment at the terminal is connected to the spare path means and disconnected from the normal path means, d. second circuit means responsive to an alarm signal produced by the alarm means for operating said first and second switching means, e. third means for continuously monitoring the spare path and for inhibiting operation of said first and second switching means in response to the occurrence and persistence for a predetermined time of a faulty condition in the spare path means, and f. fourth circuit means to release said first and second switching means at a predetermined interval following their operation if the alarm signal persists and to inhibit said second circuit means pending manual intervention.

Claim 3

A transfer circuit for use in a multiplex signal transmission system arranged for transmitting pulse code modulated signals between two terminals and including means establishing a normal signal transmission path, means establishing a spare signal transmission path, and alarm means in each of the terminals for generating an alarm signal in response to a fault in signal reception, the transfer circuit being effective in response to an alarm signal from the alarm means to disconnect the normal path means and to connect the spare path means in place of the normal path means, and comprising at each terminal: a. first switching means for normally connecting signal transmitting and receiving equipment at its terminal to the normal path means, b. second switching means for normally connecting the spare path means to monitoring equipment at its terminal, c. first circuit means interconnecting the first and second switching means so that when said switching means are operated the transmitting and receiving equipment at the terminal is connected to the spare path means and disconnected from the normal path means, d. second circuit means responsive to an alarm signal produced by the alarm means for operating said first and second switching means, e. third means for continuously monitoring the spare path and for inhibiting operation of said first and second switching means in response to the occurrence and persistence for a predetermined time of a faulty condition in the spare path means, and f. fourth circuit means to release said first and second switching means at a predetermined interval following their operation if the alarm signal persists and to inhibit said second circuit means pending manual intervention.

Claim 4

A transfer circuit for use in a multiplex signal transmission system arranged for transmitting pulse code modulated signals between two terminals and including means establishing a normal signal transmission path, means establishing a spare signal transmission path, and alarm means in each of the terminals for generating an alarm signal in response to a fault in signal reception, the transfer circuit being effective in response to an alarm signal from the alarm means to disconnect the normal path means and to connect the spare path means in place of the normal path means, and comprising at each terminal: a. first switching means for normally connecting signal transmitting and receiving equipment at its terminal to the normal path means, b. second switching means for normally connecting the spare path means to monitoring equipment at its terminal, c. first circuit means interconnecting the first and second switching means so that when said switching means are operated the transmitting and receiving equipment at the terminal is connected to the spare path means and disconnected from the normal path means, d. second circuit means responsive to an alarm signal produced by the alarm means for operating said first and second switching means, e. third means for continuously monitoring the spare path and for inhibiting operation of said first and second switching means in response to the occurrence and persistence for a predetermined time of a faulty condition in the spare path means, and f. fourth circuit means to release said first and second switching means at a predetermined interval following their operation if the alarm signal persists and to inhibit said second circuit means pending manual intervention.

Claim 5

A transfer circuit for use in a multiplex signal transmission system arranged for transmitting digital signals in both directions between two terminals and including means establishing a plurality of normal signal paths, means establishing a spare signal path, and alarm means in each of the terminals for generating alarm signals in response to faults in signal reception, the transfer circuit being effective in response to an alarm signal to disconnect the one normal signal path and to connect the spare path means in its place, and comprising at each terminal: a. a set of buses equal in number to the number of conductive paths in each of the path means, b. first relays, one for each of the normal path means, each having a set of double-throw contacts normally connecting one of the normal path means to respective designated signal transmitting and receiving equipments at its terminal, said contacts disconnecting the respective designated equipments from the normal path means and connecting them to said buses when the relays pick up. c. an auxiliary relay having a set of double-throw contacts normally connecting the spare path means to monitoring equipment at the exchange and when said auxiliary relay picks up switching the spare path means to said buses, d. first circuit means responsive to an alarm signal produced by the alarm means for energizing said auxiliary relay and the one of said first relays indicated by the alarm signal and inhibiting energization of all of the other ones of said first relays, e. second circuit means for deenergizing and inhibiting the one of said first relays enErgized by said first circuit means if the alarm signal persists for a predetermined interval following energization, f. third circuit means responsive to operation of said second means to deactuate said first circuit means thereby re-enabling the other ones of said first relays, and g. fourth circuit means for continuously monitoring the spare path means and for inhibiting all of said first relays in response to the occurrence and persistence for a predetermined time of a faulty condition in the spare path means.

Claim 6

A transfer circuit for use in a multiplex signal transmission system arranged for transmitting digital signals in both directions between two terminals and including means establishing a plurality of normal signal paths, means establishing a spare signal path, and alarm means in each of the terminals for generating alarm signals in response to faults in signal reception, the transfer circuit being effective in response to an alarm signal to disconnect the one normal signal path and to connect the spare path means in its place, and comprising at each terminal: a. a set of buses equal in number to the number of conductive paths in each of the path means, b. first relays, one for each of the normal path means, each having a set of double-throw contacts normally connecting one of the normal path means to respective designated signal transmitting and receiving equipments at its terminal, said contacts disconnecting the respective designated equipments from the normal path means and connecting them to said buses when the relays pick up. c. an auxiliary relay having a set of double-throw contacts normally connecting the spare path means to monitoring equipment at the exchange and when said auxiliary relay picks up switching the spare path means to said buses, d. first circuit means responsive to an alarm signal produced by the alarm means for energizing said auxiliary relay and the one of said first relays indicated by the alarm signal and inhibiting energization of all of the other ones of said first relays, e. second circuit means for deenergizing and inhibiting the one of said first relays enErgized by said first circuit means if the alarm signal persists for a predetermined interval following energization, f. third circuit means responsive to operation of said second means to deactuate said first circuit means thereby re-enabling the other ones of said first relays, and g. fourth circuit means for continuously monitoring the spare path means and for inhibiting all of said first relays in response to the occurrence and persistence for a predetermined time of a faulty condition in the spare path means.