Emergency switching equipment for broadband transmission

Claim 2

In a telecommunication system having a central control unit and a telecommunication network wherein there are a plurality of stations interconnected by bidirectional primary links used during normal fault-free operation and spare sections used when there is a fault in at least one of the primary links and wherein the central control unit initiates the changeover to selected spare sections upon detection of a fault, switchover apparatus controlled by the central unit in at least one of the stations wherein at least one of the primary links terminates and the station has the terminal equipment associated with such primary link and at least two spare sections connected from said one station to other stations, said switchover apparatus comprising: a first switching unit having first and second internal terminals (UT1, IN1), incoming signals switching means (M) for connecting either the primary link (5) to the Terminal equipment of said first internal terminal to the terminal equipment, and outgoing signals switching means (S) for connecting the primary link to the terminal equipment or to said second internal terminal; a second switching unit having a third internal terminal (IN3) and an output switching means (U) for connecting either said second internal terminal or said third internal terminal to the spare section (5''); a third switching unit having a fourth internal terminal (UT3) and an input switching means (J) for connecting the spare section (5'') to either said third internal terminal or said first internal terminal; and a fourth switching unit having a through connection means (H) for connecting either said fourth internal terminal (UT3) or the other spare section (1'') to said internal terminal.

Claim 3

In a telecommunication system having a central control unit and a telecommunication network wherein there are a plurality of stations interconnected by bidirectional primary links used during normal fault-free operation and spare sections used when there is a fault in at least one of the primary links and wherein the central control unit initiates the changeover to selected spare sections upon detection of a fault, switchover apparatus controlled by the central unit in at least one of the stations wherein at least one of the primary links terminates and the station has the terminal equipment associated with such primary link and at least two spare sections connected from said one station to other stations, said switchover apparatus comprising: a first switching unit having first and second internal terminals (UT1, IN1), incoming signals switching means (M) for connecting either the primary link (5) to the Terminal equipment of said first internal terminal to the terminal equipment, and outgoing signals switching means (S) for connecting the primary link to the terminal equipment or to said second internal terminal; a second switching unit having a third internal terminal (IN3) and an output switching means (U) for connecting either said second internal terminal or said third internal terminal to the spare section (5''); a third switching unit having a fourth internal terminal (UT3) and an input switching means (J) for connecting the spare section (5'') to either said third internal terminal or said first internal terminal; and a fourth switching unit having a through connection means (H) for connecting either said fourth internal terminal (UT3) or the other spare section (1'') to said internal terminal.

Claim 4

In a telecommunication system having a central control unit and a telecommunication network wherein there are a plurality of stations interconnected by bidirectional primary links used during normal fault-free operation and spare sections used when there is a fault in at least one of the primary links and wherein the central control unit initiates the changeover to selected spare sections upon detection of a fault, switchover apparatus controlled by the central unit in at least one of the stations wherein at least one of the primary links terminates and the station has the terminal equipment associated with such primary link and at least two spare sections connected from said one station to other stations, said switchover apparatus comprising: a first switching unit having first and second internal terminals (UT1, IN1), incoming signals switching means (M) for connecting either the primary link (5) to the Terminal equipment of said first internal terminal to the terminal equipment, and outgoing signals switching means (S) for connecting the primary link to the terminal equipment or to said second internal terminal; a second switching unit having a third internal terminal (IN3) and an output switching means (U) for connecting either said second internal terminal or said third internal terminal to the spare section (5''); a third switching unit having a fourth internal terminal (UT3) and an input switching means (J) for connecting the spare section (5'') to either said third internal terminal or said first internal terminal; and a fourth switching unit having a through connection means (H) for connecting either said fourth internal terminal (UT3) or the other spare section (1'') to said internal terminal.

Claim 5

In a telecommunication system including a plurality of stations which have terminal equipment for sending and receiving information and are interconnected by primary links in which traffic flows in first and second directions and spare sections and wherein a central control unit controls the switching to spare sections which are parts of sub-routes when a fault occurs in the portion of a primary link between two stations, switching equipment in at least one of the stations comprising: a first switching unit having a plurality of first terminals, a plurality of second terminals, a plurality of third terminals, a plurality of fourth terminals, and first switch means for connecting the terminal equipment used in one direction of traffic flow, either via said first terminals, to the associated primary links terminating at the station or to said second terminals and for connecting the terminal equipment used in the other direction of traffic flow either via said third terminals to the associated primary links terminating at the station or to said fourth terminals; a second switching unit having a plurality of first terminals and second switch means for connecting in the one direction of traffic flow each spare section connected to the station either to one of a plurality of the second terminals of said first switching unit or to one of its first terminals; a third switching unit having a plurality of first terminals and a third switch means for connecting in the other direction of traffic flow each spare section connected to the station either to one of a plurality of the fourth terminals of said first switching unit or to one of its first terminals; and a fourth switching unit having a plurality of first terminals respectively connected to one of said first terminals of said third switching unit, a plurality of second terminals respectively connected to one of said first terminals or said second switching unit and fourth switch means for connecting in the other direction of traffic flow the first terminals to the second terminals in such a way that all but one of the spare sections of the sub-routes connected to the station is connected to said one spare section via said third switching unit, said fourth switching unit and said second switching unit; the central control unit controlling the operation of the switching means of said switching units.

Claim 6

In a telecommunication system including a plurality of stations which have terminal equipment for sending and receiving information and are interconnected by primary links in which traffic flows in first and second directions and spare sections and wherein a central control unit controls the switching to spare sections which are parts of sub-routes when a fault occurs in the portion of a primary link between two stations, switching equipment in at least one of the stations comprising: a first switching unit having a plurality of first terminals, a plurality of second terminals, a plurality of third terminals, a plurality of fourth terminals, and first switch means for connecting the terminal equipment used in one direction of traffic flow, either via said first terminals, to the associated primary links terminating at the station or to said second terminals and for connecting the terminal equipment used in the other direction of traffic flow either via said third terminals to the associated primary links terminating at the station or to said fourth terminals; a second switching unit having a plurality of first terminals and second switch means for connecting in the one direction of traffic flow each spare section connected to the station either to one of a plurality of the second terminals of said first switching unit or to one of its first terminals; a third switching unit having a plurality of first terminals and a third switch means for connecting in the other direction of traffic flow each spare section connected to the station either to one of a plurality of the fourth terminals of said first switching unit or to one of its first terminals; and a fourth switching unit having a plurality of first terminals respectively connected to one of said first terminals of said third switching unit, a plurality of second terminals respectively connected to one of said first terminals or said second switching unit and fourth switch means for connecting in the other direction of traffic flow the first terminals to the second terminals in such a way that all but one of the spare sections of the sub-routes connected to the station is connected to said one spare section via said third switching unit, said fourth switching unit and said second switching unit; the central control unit controlling the operation of the switching means of said switching units.

Claim 7

Switching equipment according to claim 2 wherein in said first switching unit the first switch means comprises for every primary link, terminating in the station, a transmitter unit and a receiver unit, said transmitter units and said receiver units, respectively, being mutually identical.

Claim 8

Switching equipment according to claim 2 wherein in said second switching unit the second switch means comprises for every spare section connected to the station an output unit, all such output units being identical.

Claim 9

Switching equipment according to claim 2 wherein in said third switching unit the third switch means comprises for every spare section connected to the station, an input unit, all such input units being identical.

Claim 10

Switching equipment according to claim 2 wherein in said fourth switching unit the fourth switch means comprises for every spare section connected to the station a through connection unit, all such through connection units being identical.

Claim 11

Switching equipment according to claim 3 wherein each of said transmitter units has an input terminal connected to the terminal equipment utilized in the one traffic direction and further comprises means for connecting said input terminal alternatively to one of the first and one of the second terminals to said first switching unit.

Claim 12

Switching equipment according to claim 3 wherein each of said receiver units has an output terminal connected to the terminal equipment utilized in the other traffic direction and further comprises means for connecting said output terminal alternatively to one of the third and one of the fourth terminals of said first switching unit.

Claim 13

Switching equipment according to claim 4 wherein each of said output units has an output terminal connected to a spare section and further comprises means for alternatively connecting said output terminal to one of the first terminals of said second switching unit and to one of a plurality of the second terminals of said first switching unit.

Claim 14

Switching equipment according to claim 5 wherein each of said input units has an input terminal in the other traffic direction for one of the said spare sections connected to the station and means for alternatively connecting said input terminal to one of a plurality of the fourth terminals of said first switching unit and to a number of the first terminals of said third switching unit one at a time, said number being equal to the number of sub-routes connected to the station less one.

Claim 15

Switching equipment according to claim 6 wherein each of said through connection units has an output terminal connected to one of the second terminals of said fourth switching unit and means for alternatively connecting said output terminal to a number of the first terminals of said fourth switching unit, which number is equal to the number of sub-routes connected to the station less one.

Claim 16

Switching equipment according to claim 3 wherein each of said transmitter units comprises an input terminal connected to the terminal equipment utilized in the one traffic direction, a transmission bridge, an amplifier, and means for connecting said input terminal via said transmission bridge to one of the second terminals and via said transmission bridge and amplifier to one of the first terminals of said first switching unit.

Claim 17

Switching equipment according to claim 3 wherein each of said receiver units comprises an output terminal connected to the terminal equipment utilized in the second traffic direction and a two-input amplifier and a switch connected between one input of said amplifier and a third terminal of said first switching unit, the second input of said amplifier being connected to a fourth terminal of said first switch unit, and said output terminal being connected to the output terminal of said amplifier.

Claim 18

Switching equipment according to claim 4 wherein each of said output units comprises an output, a multi-input amplifier having an output terminal connected to said output and a switch connected to each of the inputs of said amplifier less one, said switches connecting the inputs of said amplifier to a plurality of the second terminals of said first switching unit and, respectively, the input without a switch being connected to one of the first terminals of said second switching unit.