CA1151785A - Communication system and means for interconnection of same - Google Patents

Abstract

COMMUNICATION SYSTEM AND MEANS
FOR INTERCONNECTION OF SAME

ABSTRACT
The present invention is directed to a manually programmable multi-channel communication network for linking a plurality of information terminal locations, such as telephone stations, within an office building or the like to incoming communication trunk lines. Prior art networks are either relatively complicated, having multiple panels at which manual switching may be neces-sary, or have required that connectors which are sub-jected to repeated mating cycles be made up in the field, thereby adversely affecting network reliability. The present invention provides a relatively simple, manually programmable network whose repetively mated connectors may be factory preassembled and which network may be easily installed in the field by relatively unskilled personnel The network includes first connectors for connection to the incoming trunk lines, second con-nectors for connection with cables communicating with the terminal locations, and conductors permanently affixed to the first connectors and to third, relo-catable connectors. The relocatable connectors mate with a portion of the second connectors and provide manual programmability.

Description

7~35 CO~qUNICATION SYSTEM AND ~/EANS
FOR IN~ERCONNECTION OF SAME
_ TECHNICAL FIELD
The present inbrnyion is directed generally to a manually programmable multi-channel communicaklon net-work capable o~ linking a plurality o~ di~erent information terminal locations within an o~fic~ building or the like. More particularly, the invention relates lO to a mechanically programmable interconnection or "cro~s-connect" system for a telephone installation pro-vidlng service to a multiple telephone service area, The invention is most advantageously employed in an intrabuilding environment where a large number of in-15 dividual telephone instruments or handsets are locatedthroughout a glven service area.
~ACKGROUND OF I~E PRIOR ART
In recent years, the telephone industry has made great strides in reduclng the costs of telephone equip-20 ment and the expenses attendant to its installation andmaintenance, An area of particular concern has been khe need to reduce the labor costs in initially arrang-ing or "programmlng" and thereafter rearranging or "reprogrammlng" the numerous telephone numbers to di~-25 ferent locatlons wikhin a given service area Accord-ingly, modularized syskems have been developed which reduce fie~d wirlng and simplify the procedures employed in installing or reprogramming the telephone ~ystem.
One example of a prior art system intended to address 30 these problems is that disclosed in United States Patent No. 3,869,582~ owned by Allstate Insurance Company. The telephone ByBtem deBCrlbed in the All-~tate patent generally includes a central distribut~on panel and one or more remote or "satellite" distribution 35 panels which are permanently wired to the central distribution panel Patchcords are used with both the ~5~78S
- -~ 2 ~ central and satellite panels to enable physical rearrange-ment or relocation of the telephone numbers to different parts of the service area. The All-state system, however, is still relatively ex-pensive, requiring multiple distribution panels, and often requires rearrangement of patchcords at more than onelocation, which complicates the re-programming procedure and increases the attendant reconnection costs, as well.
Another prior art system is disclosed in Canadian Patent Application Serial No. 356,222 filed on July 15, 1980 in the name of Arie Verhagen and assigned to Bunker Ramo Corporation, the as-signee of this application. The Verhagen applica-tion discloses an interconnection or cross-connect approach wherein the incoming telephone lines are hard-wired or otherwise affixed to individual re-ceptacle members and the station cables are field terminated to individual plug connectors. The Verhagen system represents a significant advance over the Allstate approach, since it is extremely low cost, it saves space and only a single junction is required which can be serviced by relatively un-skilled personnel. Nevertheless, it suffers from ~5 the disadvantage that each of the station cables must be terminated in the field to a connector which may be subjected to many mating cycles during its useful life. Such field terminable connectors are inherently less reliable than factory assembled terminations and their use increases the costs of initial installation.
Other electronic systems have been de-veloped for electronic reprogramming of telephone systems but these require specific equipment to electronically "enter" the system as well as a trained operator skilled in working with computer software.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed to a novel 5~785 interconnection system used to provide service to a multi-channel telephone, data processing or other communlcation installation. Because o~ its unique assemblage of components, the system is extremely low cost, occupies very little space and is mechanically programmable and reprogrammable by a simple manual technlque easily completed on-si~e by relatively un-skilled personnel. In addition, the communication channels may be relocated throughout the entire service 10 area ~rom a single location. The modular design o~ the present invention also permits its expeditious adapta tion to communication or telephonic installation of di~ferent sizes.
Generally, the lnterconnection or cross-connect sy~tem o~ the present invention includes one or more multi-circuit connectors, a plurality of connector mem-bers and means for interconnecting them. The multi-circuit connectors are adapted to receive and couple with the communication trunk lines, whereas the con-20 nector members terminate the individual informationtransmission cables associated with the various discrete physical locations or "station~" throughout the service area, The interconnecting means includes a plurality o~ conductor mean~, ea¢h hard-wired or otherwise permanently affixed at one end to a multi-circuit connector and at its other end to a relocatable con-nector. Each connector member is identifiable with a given station, and each relocatable connector is identifiable with a given communication channel or channel identi~ier, l.e., a telephone number, and is directly matable with any of the connector members.
Accordingly, the communication network is programmed or reprogrammed s-lmply by mating the "channel identiried"
relocatable connectors with the "station idenki~ied"
connector members.

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~1~1785 An important aspect of the invention is the recognition that factory assembled or "prewired" com-ponents provide a greater measure o~ ruggedness and reliabilit~ with ~he additional advantage of reducing field installation costs. Accordingly, khe unique arrangement of components used in the present invention allows for the ~actory assembly o~ the interconnecting mean~ itself, and the prewiring o~ the interconnecting mean~ to the individual multi-circuit connectors when 10 deslred.
Another important aspect of the invention is ~he recognition th~t the terminus o~ the telephone or other communication trunk lines will ordinarily be physically proximate to the location o~ the cross-connect system.
15 Accordingly, the interconnecting mean~ can be pre-fabricated at the factory as an integral cable assembly, having indlvidual conductor means terminated to relo-¢atable connectors and extending from a cable of a predetermined and relatively short length.
Another aspect o~ the invention is the provision of modularized component~ which facilitate~ adaption o~ the cro~-connect system to different sized commun-ication networks, redu¢es space requirements and mlni-mlze~ installation costs. For example, in accord with 25 the present invention the multi-circuit connectors or connector members may be mounted on one ~ more sub-modules which, in turn, may be assembled to a main termination module. The integrated a~sembly permits installation o~ the cross-connect system simply by 30 terminating the telephone trunk line~ and information transmi3~ion cable~ to the multi-circuit connectors and connector member3J respectively, and therea~ter mating the various relocatable connectors wlth the connector members. The use of modularized components and pre-fabricated cable a3~emblies also permit3 the adaptation ~15~785 o~ the cross-connect system to a kit form for convenient and low cost shipment and expedlent assembly in the ~ield.
A still further aspect of the lnventlon ls the provision of an interconnection system which facili-tates and slmpl~fies the reprogramming of the communi-cation network.
A further aspect of the inventi~n is the provision of a manually programmable telephone or other communl-cation installation having a connectorized and modu-10 larized cross-connect system located at a single locus within the service area, the individual components ~
the system being ruggedly constructed to withætand the repeated mating cycles incident to the periodic repro-gramming of the installation.
:ER:rEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The novel features which are characteristic of the invention are ~et forth in the appended claims. The invention it~elf, however, together with ~urther aspects and attendant advantages thereo~, will be best under-20 ~tood by references to the following description takenin connection with the accompanying drawings in which:
FIGURE 1 is a ~chematic representation illus-trating the use of the interconnection ~ystem o~ the present invention with a conventional multiphone tele-25 phone installation;
FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of a preferredembodiment of the present invention showing its modular constructlon;
FIGURE 3 is a plan view of the modular cross-30 connect ~ystem shown in FIGURE 2;
FI~U~E 4 i~ a cros~-sectional view taken along line 4-4 o~ FI~URE 3;
FIGURE 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 5-5 o~ FIGURE 4;
FIGURE 6 is a plan view of the modular cross-~1'78S

connect system shown in FIGURE 2J but with some modifi-cation to provide additional ~unctions;
FIGURE 7 is an enlarged plan vlew showlng in greater detail the interconnection o~ the relocatable connectors and cormector members;
FIGURE 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 8-8 of FIGURE 7 illustrating details of the con-struction of a cormector member suitable for use in the present invention; and FIGURE 9 is a schematic representation showing the spatial arrangement of the cross-connect system o~
the present invention to a physically proximate switch-ing device, the cross-connect system being shown in plan view and illustrating another preferred modular embodi-15 ment together with an integral cable assembly.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
In FIG~RE 1 the lnterconnection system o~ the presenk invention, designated ~enerally as 10, is shown as it might be used in a multi-telephone installation.
20 The invention wlll be described in the context o~ such telephone installation, but those skilled in the art will recognize that the invention may be used ln data processing or other multl-channel communication net-works as well. The telephone lnstallat~on shown in 25 FIGURE 1 includes telephone trunk lines 12, transmission or "station" cables 14 and a plurality of telephone handsets 16 each posltloned within a specific location or station 18. The telephone installatlon also includes a switching means 20, such as a private automatic branch 30 eY~change (PABX), which provides an lnterface between the telephone trunk llnes and the lnterconnectlon system The swltchlng means, however, ls not essential, and the trunk lines 12 r~y be coupled directly to the inter-connection system 10 as described ln detail below.
Referring now to FIGUR~S 2-4J the interconnection ~1~17t35 or cross-connect system 10 is shown to include a plur-ality of ~ulti-circuit connectors 22 and connector members 24, and means for interconnecting then]. The interconnecting means comprises a plurality o~ condRctor means, such as insulated conductors 26, and relocatable connectors 28.
The multi-circuit connectors 22 are preferably ribbon type contact connectors, although other sui~able connector desi~ns will be apparent to those skilled in 10 the art. The connectors 22 are adapted to receive and couple with the telephone trunk lines directly or, as illustrated in FIGURES 1-4, with the connectorized cable 30 carrying the output circuits of the switching means 20. Connectors 22 may be mounted to a panel or 15 sub-module 31 which is assembled in the factor~ prior to installation in the field. As mentioned below, how-ever, ln the use of an alternative embodlment, sub-module 31 may be eliminated.
The connector members 24 are al~o assembled in 20 ~ub-modules 32 which may take the form shown in FIGU~ES
7 and 8. They are identifled on the sub-module 32 by 30me indi¢ia (i.e , the illustrated numerals 01, 02, etc ) repre~enting the various station~ within the telephone service area, and each includes a mating 25 portion 34 and a terminal portion 37 adapted to termlnate the respectlve station cables 14. Mating portion 34 pre~erably includes a receptacle means having one or more apertures 36 housing an active contact element 38 and configured to mate directl~ with any of the relocat-30 able connectors 28. Terminal portion 37 includes a fieldterminable contact element, such as the illustrated insulation-piercing contact element 40~ whlch extends into rece~s 42 of sub-module 32, Of course, the sub-modules 32 are assemble~ and mounted onto a termination 35 module ll, as shown most clearl~ ln FIGURE 2, and the ~5~78S

number ~ sub-modules employed will be dependent upon the number of stations within the telephone installation and the anticipated expansion of the installation, if any.
The interconnecting means which provides the connectorized ~unction between the telephone trunk lines and the connector members is an important aspect of the pre~ent invention. The conductors 26 are hard-wired or otherwise permanently affixed to the multi-circuit 10 connectors 22 and, at their distal or free ends, to the relocatable connectors 28. Of course, each o~ the conductors has a length sufficlent to reach the connec-tor member positioned at the most remote ~ farthest point ~rom sub-module 31. Since the interconnecting 15 means may be assembled and prewired to the multi-circuit connectors at the factory, more reliable manu~acturing techniques can be employed to provide a more rugged and durable as~embly. In addition, space sav~ngs can be e~ected ~ince factory assembly procedures can be 20 more readily adapted to miniaturized circuitry and termina~ion~, As ~hown mo~t clearly in FIGURES 7 and 8 the relo¢àtable connectors 28 mate directly with the mating portion~ 34 o~ the connector members 24, and each bear~ indi¢ia repre~enting the multi~cir¢uit ¢onnector 25 wlth which it is coupled and the individual line therein.
In this manner, the relocatable connector~ are identi-fiable with indiVidual communication channels.
A~ an alternative embodiment and one dls¢u~sed in greater detail below, the conductors 26 and relo-30 catable connector~ 28 may be manufactured as an integralcable assembly which may include the multi-circuit con-nectors 22, a~ well. The multi-circuit connector would then mate with a switchlng device or the cable assembly ~ay couple directly to the lncoming trunk lines 12, 35 thereby ellminating the need for sub-mo~ule 31.

-~1517B5 Means are also provided to route ~he various cables and conductors used in the cross-connect system 10. For exampleJ the station cables 14 are routed through a central channel 44 and are dressed through apertures 46 in the sidewalls o~ the channel. Siml-larly, the interconnecting conductors 26 are dressed through a comb-like element 48 at the edge o~ sub-module 31 and into an upper channel 50 mounted above channel 44 Again, the conductors 26 are dressed through aper-10 tures 52 in the sidewalls o~ channel 50 By selectlngthe appropriate apertures 46 and 52, the wiring of the entire cross-connect system is ordered and more easily serviced FIGURE 5 illustrates the use Or comb element 48 which is used in the conventional and well-known 15 manner to take up any unwanted slack in the conductors 26.
As is evident from the drawings, the sub-modules 31 and 32 and the routing channels 44 and 50 may all be pre-assembled to main termination module 11 and can be 20 mounted as an integral assembly ln the field. Once mounted, the installati~n is completed ~imply by ~irst coupllng the trunk lines 12 to the multl-circuit connector~ 22, terminating the indivldual station cables 14 to the terminal portions 36 of the connector members 25 and then mating the relocatable connectors 28 and connector members 24(a~required.
A modl~ied form o~ the modularized cro~s-connect system o~ the present invention is illustrated in FIGURE
6 and designated generally as 10'. Module 10' includes 30 multi-¢lr¢uit connector~ 2~ and connector members 24, and interconnectlng mean~ as described above In addi-tion~ means are provided to couple the circuitry o~
module 10' with that o~ another module 13, thereby enabllng the interconnection of trunk llne~ 1~ to any 35 o~ the connector members 24 on module 13. As a resultJ

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~151~t35 the number of stations serviced by khe cross-connect system of the present invention is unlimited. Specifi-cally, module lO' includes at least one trans~er sub-module 60 having trans~er connectors 61 identical in configuration with the mating portion of connector members 24. These transfer connectors are wired by con-ductors 63 to an inter-module connector 62 which is preferably a ribbon type contact connector like those used for multi-circuit connector 22, Using a suitably 10 connectorized cable assembly 64, the inter-module connector 62 and, in turn, the trans~er connectors 61 are coupled to the connectors 22 o~ module 13. Thus, by mating the relocatable connector member 28' w~th one of the transfer connectors 61, trunk llne 12 of module 10' may be coupled wLth any o~ the stations associated wlth module 13. This unique assemblage Or components permits simple and expeditious modific~ion of the cross-connect system to accommodate an expanded service area ~or the communlcation network.
Module lO' also includes a multiplier module 70 having a plurality o~ multiplying connectors 72. The multiplying connectors accept one or more relocatable connectors and are coupled to the connector member~ 24 of ~ne or more stations by means of patchcords or the ~5 like, Accordingly, one ~ more channels may be asso-clated with a plurality of stations.
As noted above, the present invention also con-templates an embodiment wherein the need ~or sub-module 31 is eliminated. This embodlment is illustr~ted in 30 FIGURE 9 and includes a main termination module 80 on which the sub-modules 32 and, in turn, connector members 24 are mounted. The module 80 is itself mounted within the telephone network at a location physically proximate to the terminus of the telephone trunk lines, and FIGUKE
3~ 9 is intended to show this spatial relationshlp ~1ith module 80 located ad~acent the switching device 20.
Typically, these components will be found within a slngle room or common area in the building being ser-viced by the telephone installation.
Since the module 80 and switching device 20 are spaced by a relatively small distance in a glven in-stallation, an integral cable assembly 82 may be fabr~-cated at the factory having a predetermined length su~ficlent to extend b~tween them, The cable assembly 10 82 houses a plurality of conductor means which extend as individual conductors 26 ~rom one end of the assembly, the conductors 26 being terminated by relocatable connectors 28. The other end o~ the conductor means are coupleable to the terminus of the tr~mk llnes 12 as 15 shown, ~or example, in FIGUR~ 9 where a multi-circuit ¢onnector 84 is employed to mate with compatlble con-nectors 21 on the switching devlce 20.
The module 80 and one or rnore cable assemblies 82 may be packaged ~n kit ~orm and shipped to the 20 installat~on site where the module is mounted and the cable assembly 82 dressed Prom the switchlng device to the modu~.e. rrhe cable assembly may extend, as shown, to the mid-area o~ the module ~rom which point the indivldual conductors 26 are routed to permit coupling 25 o~ the appropriate relocatable connectors 28 and con-nector members 24. Those skilled in the art will recognize, of course, that other trunk line terminus structure might be utilized, such as a conventional telephony connector blockJ in which case the cable 30 assembly would be a~fixed and electrically coupled directly to the connector block.
The module 80 is designed to accommodate routing channels 50 and ~4, or functionally equ~valent struc-ture, on ad~acent sides o~ the sub-modules 32, and also 35 includes ra~tening means 86 for phy~ically securlng cable ..

- . , ~i1785 assembly 82 and transmission cables 14. It is also contemplated that the module 80 may be enclosed in a housing 88 or mounted to a supporting sur~ace, alone~, without a housing.
Of course, it should be understood that various changes and modifications to the preferred embodiments described herein w~ll be apparent to those skilled in the art. Such changes and modifications can be made without departing rrom the spirit and scope of the present invention and without diminishing its attendant advantages, It is, there~ore, intended that such changes and modifications be covered by the ~ollowing claims,

Claims (18)

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1. An interconnection system for manually pro-gramming the assignment of individual communication channel identifiers of a multi-channel communication network to individual stations at different locations within the network service area, said system comprising:
at least one first connector adapted to couple with communication trunk lines; a plurality of second connec-tors each identifiable with a given station within said network service area and having a mating portion and a terminal portion adapted to terminate an information transmission cable associated with said given station;
and means for interconnecting said first connector and said second connectors including a plurality of conductor means, each electrically coupled to and permanently affixed at one end to one of said first connector and electrically coupled to a third connector, each said third connector being identifiable with one of said communication channels and directly matable with the mating portion of any of said second connectors, whereby the individual communication channels may be manually assigned to the individual communication stations.

2. The interconnection system as claimed in Claim 1, wherein said at least one first connector includes a plurality of multi-circuit connections and said third connectors are relocatable connectors each permanently affixed to the other end of said conductor means.

3. The interconnection system as claimed in Claim 2 wherein said multi-circuit connectors, said second connectors and said interconnecting means are disposed on a termination module mountable onto a supporting surface at an interconnection location within said network.

4. The interconnection system as claimed in Claim 3 wherein said multi-circuit connectors and said interconnecting means are prewired and said multi-circuit connectors and said second connectors are housed on and preassembled to said termination module to permit interconnection of said communication system by coupling said trunk lines with said multi-circuit connectors and by terminating said communication trunk lines and said transmission cables to said multi-circuit connectors and said second connectors, respectively, and thereafter mating said relocatable connectors to selec-ted ones of said second connectors.

5. The interconnection system as claimed in Claim 3 wherein said multi-circuit connectors are assembled on at least one sub-module and said second connectors are assembled on at least one sub-module, said sub-modules being mountable on said termination module.

6. The interconnection system as Claimed in Claim 1 wherein the terminal portions of said second connectors comprise (field terminable) insulation-piercing termination elements, .

7. The interconnection system as claimed in Claim 1 wherein said conductor means comprise connectors and insulated conductors coupled thereto and having a length sufficient to reach the second connector most remote from said first connectors.

8. The interconnection system as claimed in Claim 1 wherein said conductor means and said third connectors of said interconnecting means are assembled into an integral structure of rugged construction capable of repeated mating cycles with said connector members.

9. The interconnection system as claimed in Claim 1 further including a second plurality of second connectors associated with additional communication stations, and means permitting the coupling of pre-selected ones of said first connectors with any of said second plurality of second connectors.

10. The interconnection system as claimed in Claim l further including a plurality of multiplier connector members each having a mating portion and a terminal portion adapted to couple with a plurality of information transmission cables associated with different communication stations, whereby mating one of said third connectors to the mating portion of said multiplier connector member associates one of said channel identi-fiers with each of said different communication stations.

11. The interconnection system as claimed in Claim l wherein said communication network is a multi-phone telephone network including an automatic switching apparatus, said switching apparatus interfacing with telephone trunk lines and having at least one connec-torized cable assembly matable with said first connec-tors.

12. An interconnection system as claimed in Claim 2 as used in a manually reprogrammable telephone system for providing telephone service to a multi-phone service area and further comprising: a plurality of multi-conductor station cables each individually asso-ciated with a given station within said service area, wherein each second connector including a receptacle means having a making portion and a terminal portion terminating one of said station cables, and each said relocatable connector includes a connector plug means, each said connector plug means being identifiable with a telephone number of said telephone trunk lines and directly matable within any of said receptacle means, whereby the individual telephone numbers may be manually assigned to the individual stations.

13. The system as claimed in Claim 12 wherein said multi-circuit connectors, said receptacle means and said interconnecting means permit initial program-ming of said telephone system by terminating said telephone trunk lines and said station cables to said multi-circuit connectors and said receptacle means, respectively, and thereafter mating said plug means to selected ones of said receptacle means.

14. The interconnection system as claimed in Claim 2 wherein said multi-circuit connectors and said interconnecting means are preassembled as one or more integral cable assemblies.

15. An interconnection apparatus for manually programming the assignment of individual communication channels of a multi-channel communication network to individual stations at different locations within the network service area, said apparatus comprising: a plurality of connector members each identifiable with a given station within said network service area and having a mating portion and a terminal portion adapted to terminate an information transmission cable associated with said given station; and means for interconnecting said connector members with communication trunk lines Or said communication network including at least one integral cable assembly of predetermined length having a plurality of conductor means terminating at one end to relocatable connectors and coupleable at the other end to said trunk lines, each said relocatable connector being identifiable with one of said communication channels and directly matable with the mating portion of any of said connector members, whereby the individual communication channels may be manually assigned to the individual stations.

16. An interconnection apparatus as claimed in Claim 15 wherein said communication network including communication trunk lines have a terminus within said network physically proximate to the interconnection apparatus, the predetermined length of said at least one integral cable assembly is of a length sufficient to extend from the location at which the termination module is located to the physically proximate terminus of said communication trunk lines, and said other end of said conductor means are coupleable to said terminus of said trunk lines.

17. The apparatus as claimed in Claim 16 wherein said conductor means each extends individually from said cable assembly a sufficient length to permit the mating of its respective relocatable connector with any of said connector members.

18. The apparatus as claimed in Claim 16 further including a housing for mounting of said termination module, said housing including a plurality of apertures to accommodate said cable assembly and said information transmission cables.