DE2857136T5 - COMMUNICATION SYSTEM CONFERENCING ARRANGEMENT - Google Patents

Description

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Western Electric Company Incorporated P 28 57 136.0

Broadway, New York, N.Y. 10038, USA PCT / US 78/00124

Fenton, F.M. 4-2-3-1

Conference arrangement for a message system

The invention relates to a conference arrangement for a communication system with a large number of subscriber sets , each with a large number of keys, and a ' Coupling matrix with a large number of connecting lines and at least one facility.

Difficulties arise in telephone systems when conferencing is established between more than two participant sets should be. Primarily, these difficulties arise from the desire that each subscriber set should have the option of an additional subscriber set to be able to connect to an existing voice connection without external support. In known Systems, the participant briefly presses the hook switch, to get the support of a mediator,

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if such a conference is desired. If a new one If a participant is to be added to the conference or a participant is to be removed from the conference, the Support from the operator needed. This is both time consuming and ineffective and rare practical.

In other known systems, a conference can be established under the control of one of the participants in a connection by first briefly pressing the hook switch, thereby turning on a dial tone, the desired Number is dialed and then the hook switch is briefly pressed again to bridge the two calls. After such a bridging has taken place, it is difficult to separate the participants. If more than If three participants are involved in a conference, the difficulties increase. If pressing the fork scarf, -, is too long, participants can be accidentally disconnected.

Accordingly, it is a general object of the invention to provide a communication system with a controller for establishing a conference to create in such a way that each participant set can hold a conference with any Number of further participants up to a preselected one Can increase or decrease maximum value easily, effectively and without confusion.

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In order to achieve the object set in this way, the invention is based on a conference arrangement of the type mentioned at the beginning and is characterized in that the arrangement comprises a memory-processor combination which, when actuated a free key a message path to the next available connection line of the switching matrix and from the the same connection line establishes a message path to a selected facility that the memory-processor combination, when the subscriber set has a communication link to an active connection line, followed by pressing a certain key on the subscriber set a message path connection to the next available connection line from the actuation of a free key blocks and instead establishes a message path connection to the currently active connection line to a Conference connection between the participant set, the currently active connection line and the selected facility provide.

One of the buttons on the telephone set is called a plus-minus (add-subtract) (+/-) button referred to and used to further participants to a voice connection at the respective Add or remove a telephone (to connect or disconnect). If accordingly a subscriber set is active on an external line (or a system access line), a third participant can use each additional

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Line that is routed to the subscriber device "i after Type of conference can be added by simply pressing the +/- key followed by pressing a Keys assigned to the line to be added. on In a similar way, a participant is disconnected from a conference by pressing the +/- key again, followed by pressing a key assigned to an active line. The active line is then taken from the Conference disconnected. The +/- key can hold as many participant sets intrude on the conference as in advance for the Plant has been approved.

The invention is described below in conjunction with the drawings described. Show it:

1 shows a general overview of a system with a number

of electronic multi-key telephones; Fig. 2 is a perspective view of an electronic multi-key telephone set with the +/- -

Button;
3 shows the flow chart for a typical operation of the

Factory;
Fig. 4 shows the representation of a station data structure used for

Realization of plant operations is used; 5 shows the representation of a connecting line data structure, those for the realization of the plant operations

is used;
FIGS. 6, 7 and 8 are an extension of FIG. 3 for a more precise illustration of the plant operations.

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General explanation - background

Before beginning a general description of the special features claimed, it should be useful to consider the operation of an overall system in general, in which
the claimed features can be used. Be it
it should be noted that such a feature can be used in a number of similar systems and that only background information is given for one type of system
should. In addition, since the features of communication systems can be used in connection with different types of systems, each of which depends on different component conditions and different programming methods, no attempt should be made to specify the entire program used to control the system in detail, as this covers the essentials and the description would be unnecessarily extended. The values given are designed for *: certain time and storage requirements and do not represent that
Optimal for all such systems.

It should be apparent to those skilled in the art that, in order to use the feature described and claimed herein in every message system the feature is inserted and special in the overall structure of the system in which it is used must be adapted to all other features and operations of such a facility. In order to be able to use the here

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invention described to allow and a confusion to avoid focuses, hence the present description on imparting an understanding of the problems and limiting conditions that are typical Find ways in a message attachment where the feature can be used. The description brings the logical steps necessary for the implementation and integration of the feature described in a larger system with many such features are necessary.

Typical overall operation of the plant

Such a system, in which the arrangement described and claimed here can be used, is a station, · /.- oriented, commercial messaging system with memory program control using semiconductor components. Fig. 1 shows the block diagram of such a system, which the usual features of a button-controlled system (holder, optical display, etc.) with many not previously available Features combined.

Call processing in the system is under the control of a microprocessor 45 in a common controller 44. Each subscriber station, for example the subscriber station S1, and each subscriber line interface, for example the Interface unit 43-1 is used to detect every change in status scanned. Depending on a change,

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e.g. hanging, unhooking, pressing a button, etc.) the processor converts these changes into system commands by means of commands in the memory program of the memory 46. the The system also generates commands via a bi-directional data bus for the one shown in detail in FIG electronic multi-button telephone set (MET, from multibutton electronic telephone set) to light-emitting diodes (LED) and to activate the sound alarm of the MET device. The LED displays in the MET device are described below. The tone alarm clock provides two distinguishable Tone signals, namely a low ring tone to indicate incoming external calls and a high ring tone to indicate of incoming internal calls. Devices not provided with keys are used at subscriber stations where only internal connections and / or externally dialed connections via dial-up access to shared (pooled) facilities (CAP) are required. In the present embodiment the first (lower) four keys of each MET device are always the same, namely hold, +/- and two access keys that are assigned to the internal number of the respective subscriber * 'The access keys are to receive connections from other lifting points within the communication system and to initiate such Connections as well as for access to equipment of the system, for example connecting lines, call connections, etc. used. Incoming connections can be sent to both access

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buttons depending on the em free-occupied state who stirred. lon ,. If the lower key (its line) is busy, a) second incoming connection becomes the second (upper) key SA (by ^ System Access), with a visual indication of a call on hold, accompanied by a only ring tone when the subscriber is hung up SA v / ground access keys are also used for conference calls and Call forwarding purposes are used. The other keys of the MKT device are freely available and can be used by any can be assigned to features activated by keys, for example call recording.

According to Fig.1, 6 wires lead from the MET apparatus Interface unit: 2 speech wires (T, R) and 4 data wires (data input, data output). The wire pairs T and R lead to the switching matrix 41. In the illustrated embodiment is a room multiplex switching network with η connecting lines (liijlcs) shown by a time division switching field with nZeitlagcn could be replaced. The data link between the telephone set and the processor is used to transmit information to the processor, which set the switching network, and for the corresponding transmission of light-emitting diode control signals used back to the telephone sets. The facility facilities, such as facility 40, include outgoing Registers, audio circuits, subscriber sets, connection lines, Connection lines or any other connection that connects to a connection line of the switching matrix can be connected.

The common control 44 consists of a processor h'j,

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Interface units 47, 48 and a memory 46. The Memory has a program memory 46-1 and a data memory 46-2 on. The data memory is divided as follows:

A. Implementation. This part contains the component arrangement data, for example the key assignments and the service class of a subscriber station.

B. State. This part records the state of the system at a given moment. For the subscriber site it contains

a) the state of the apparatus:

Hook switch; +/- operation; whether or not actively connected to the switching matrix,

b) Key status:
for each key

i) whether I-USE is switched on, ii) what is the status of the green LED, iii) which trunk is assigned to calls for this key.

C. Short term data. This part is used to process a Uses call connection and is a "notepad" area.

A typical shared controller processor has a duty cycle of 25 ms. An executive program of high The TSK-DSP stage controls the sequence of the tasks carried out in a work cycle. At the beginning of each cycle it takes the processor a component real-time interrupt on »Das

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Interrupt subroutine sets a flag bit and. returns to the interrupted task, which in turn transfers control to the TSK-DSP program releases as soon as it has a convenient breakpoint has reached. The task dispatcher decides which task is next accordingly a plan is to be carried out. In principle, these tasks fall into three categories:

1) Scanning: Scanning after physical changes (for example, a new key press by a Subscriber). When a change is detected and confirmed, it is saved for later processing stored in a short-term memory.

2) Processing: After all scans have been completed, changes are processed.

3) Maintenance: If there is time left in the cycle of 25 ms, the system continues until the start of the next working cycle routine maintenance functions.

The system described here can pre-actualize the following characteristics.

I-use ad

This feature sees a red I-Use light-emitting diode, for example the LED 212 (Fig.2) in front of each line access key (Access key SA, access to grouped facilities, access to personal line, automatic indoor connection and call recording) is assigned. In the off-hook state

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this LED indicates the line to which the subscriber set is connected. This gives when it is hung up LED on the line with which the subscriber set would be connected when unhooked.

Display of the line status

The line status is displayed with the aid of a green status light-emitting diode, for example LED 211 (Fig. 2) given that each line access key (access key SA, access to grouped facilities, access to personal line, automatic indoor connection and call recording) assigned. The status LED flashes (500 ms on, 500 ms off) during the call state, lights up continuously during the busy state and waves (450 ms on, 50 ms off) during the hold state.

Automatic internal connection

An automatic internal connection is defined by means of a bi-directional point-to-point speech path between two MET devices with automatic signaling to the called subscriber station are provided. When you press a automatic indoor connection button (for example one of the The calling subscriber hears the keys A to F, which are assigned to this option) and unhooking the set Ringback tone, and the called station receives this usual, such connections from subscriber station to subscriber station assigned callsigns. The status light-emitting diode assigned to the automatic interior connection button

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tet in the called subscriber station and flashes at the called subscriber station. The called party can be connected by pressing the automatic internal connection ;. ·. ·; button and announce posting.

Conversation capture

Call coverage is assigned to a group. Each subscriber station has the ability to be a sender with respect to a given group. As a sender, the calls to this subscriber station can be answered by means of capture keys (one of the keys A to F assigned to this feature) that are assigned to this group. In addition, each subscriber station has the ability to be a collection point for one or more groups if it is equipped with a COVR collection button (or buttons) to answer outgoing calls for the group (or groups) from transmitters. The status light-emitting diode assigned to a key COVFi at each registration subscriber station flashes whenever a subscriber station-to-subscriber station call or a call forwarded by an operator leads to a call at a transmitter station. Conversation capture is only provided for calls on a personal line if the primary station (the only station specified as the primary owner of the personal line) is an i, nder for the group. When a registration subscriber station answers the call by pressing the COVR key and hanging up, the assigned status

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Busy LED on and all other COVR buttons open into the free state (free to receive new calls). The sender 'subscriber station whose call has been answered is also given a busy status display for the calling subscriber line and can intrude on the call at any time by dialing this line.

When two or more acceptable calls arrive in the capture group, the first capture button sets it Group of subscribers determine which call arrived first the second capture key of this group is placed at the same subscriber station, if it is available is fixed, the second call, and so on «If calls for a subscriber station do not have a free keypad for a connection, the calling subscriber is given a busy tone and this feature is not used.

A subscriber station can carry out a survey for several groups by creating a separate one for each group Owns capture button. However, a subscriber station can only transmit to a single group. Any capturing group can have up to 8 capture positions, i.e. 8 capture buttons can be defined for each given group will.

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A call diversion is realized, that a special. Subscriber station, that sends to a call coverage group, with a call forwarding button RING TRFR (from Ring Transfer) is equipped to send the callsign to specified forwarding destination stations v / to forward, equipped with capture buttons for the assigned group, after a single ringer surge has arrived. Pressing the RING TRFR key activates this feature and leaves the status LED the button light up. After activation, the calling is intended for each additional subscriber station Call diverted to the assigned coverage group. Activation is activated by pressing the RING button a second time TRFR withdrawn. With the exception of calling the forwarding subscriber stations such calls are recorded in exactly the same way as normal call recording treated. Any or all of the subscriber locations with capture buttons for the group can be used as forwarding subscriber stations for this feature as well as call collection stations in the case of busy and call detection when no reply is given.

Each subscriber station that is considered to be the sender for a detection group can be selected for this feature. Calls, which arrive at the connection of a free key of the sender subscriber station while this subscriber station is on

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is busy on another line lead to a calling predetermined forwarding subscriber stations of the assigned Group after a single ringer surge at the sender-subscriber station. Calls intended for the sender-subscriber line and unanswered for 1 to 15 calls (option) remain, lead to a forwarding of the call to predetermined forwarding subscriber stations of the assigned Group. With the exception of the ringing tone to the ■ Subscriber stations handle such calls in exactly the same way as for normal call recording. Each or all subscriber stations with registration buttons for the group can act as forwarding subscriber sites as well as recording subscriber stations in the event of non-reporting and call forwarding.

Plus-Min usj-Kq nf erence

With the help of the +/- key, each subscriber station can set up to Combine 4 separate calls into a single conference call, provided that no more than two Outside connections are involved. The conference can be switched by making each individual call and is put on hold, and then all calls are totaled after reaching the last participant. Alternatively, free Subscriber lines have been added directly to an active connection. Adding a held or free Subscriber line to an active connection is activated by pressing the +/- key and then pressing the key for the

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Held or free line reached «All line connections, assigned to an active conference sir) cl> hubm Busy status and active I-use display (red light-emitting diode). Any attempt to add a sixth participant to the conference is ignored by the system.

The participant at a subscriber station can have a conference hold (without interrupting the speech path between the participants on hold) by pressing the dial key, and can re-enter a conference on hold by pressing the line key assigned to one of the participants on hold. The participant calling a conference can optionally drop an active conference participant by pressing the +/- key and then the line key exiting participant presses. The hanging or dialing another participant line while actively participating in a conference ends the participant's participation in conference and transfers monitoring to other extensions assigned to the conference. If no other extension is available to take over the monitoring, the call is ended if there is no progress tone (callback, Busy, new start) is available.

The status LED assigned to the +/- key lights up whenever the +/- key is activated and goes out each time a line key is pressed, including the +/- key and the hook switch.

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Distinguishable ^ ₁ R ₁ Uf alarm

A distinguishable ringing alarm enables the subscriber to between incoming external calls and incoming internal calls to distinguish. A specific tone is used to ring incoming external calls made by the Operator transferred v / ground or arrive on a personal trunk. A second higher frequency tone is used for calling calls from extension to extension (internal calls). Each of these signals has one Repetition period of 4 seconds with a switch-on time of 1 second and a switch-off time of 3 seconds.

Manue ll he Au s circuit

This feature allows the subscriber whose subscriber station is equipped with an exclusion key to switch and to exclude others from intrusion on the existing connection, and also switches those subscriber stations that have already been activated. The feature can be activated manually by pressing a second time v / ground again with the exclusion key, whereby an intrusion allowed, or deleted automatically by hanging. The status LED of the exclusion button always lights up when the feature is active for a connection that is not on hold. When a connection is on hold is, the exclusion remains in effect and the status LED of the exclusion button flashes until the stopping Participant re-enters the connection. The feature can only be used for one connection at a time.

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Subscriber sites excluded from a connection are, hear nothing and can't I-use ad for that excluded line received. After activating the feature, the controlling subscriber station can use the conference option Use to add selected extensions to an "excluded" outside connection. However, other subscriber stations cannot subscribe to this connection Add.

Personal access to a line

This feature provides a communication channel between a Subscriber station and a separately assigned external line ready via the switching network. Different from grouped Facilities that can be accessed using selected codes are personal lines only with the help of a specially assigned access key is accessible for both an incoming and an outgoing operation possible.

A personal line can be shared by up to 8 subscriber stations be used by each of these subscriber parts with the corresponding access key for a personal Line is equipped. Due to the limitation for a conference, however, no more than 5 participants can be held participate in a given connection. Any attempt from a 6th subscriber station to intrude will not acknowledged (i.e. the subscriber site is treated as an excluded subscriber site). As an option, knnn

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A single tone ringing is provided for each or all subscriber stations that share the personal Leitimg being. A control of the personal management with regard to the characteristic of the call recording is only for a certain one Subscriber station available.

G rouped facilities n key ac cess

When pressing a group facility access key and hanging up, the subscriber is connected to a free line that forms a common grouping of external lines, e.g. trunks, FX, etc. The state and I-Use LEDs that the access key for The grouped facilities are assigned to a steady light and the participant can establish the connection. When no free connection facilities are available (busy indicator of the facilities), an attempt by a subscriber to initiate a connection is simply refused, and the I-Use ad is deleted. One participant poses the one Key access required to multiple grouping lines can be provided with a separate access key for each such line be equipped. As an option, each line in the grouping can be assigned a dial-up access code, which the Selection of a free line from the grouping by dialing the code after initiating a connection via an access key AS enables. A retry tone is switched on if there are no lines in the selected grouping are free. .

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Occupancy ads for connections in rich do / ¹ ; on This feature keeps the subscriber informed about the availability of free lines in a grouping that is accessible to the subscriber with the help of an access key to grouped »connection devices. The status light-emitting diode assigned to such an access key always indicates busy when all lines in the assigned grouping are busy, as well as when a line of the grouping is used at a given subscriber station.

Grouped connection devices -

Dial-up access

When selecting a free access key AS and selecting the corresponding one With the access code (9 or 10X), a subscriber is connected to a free line that leads to a common Grouping of outside lines belongs (ex. Trunks, FX etc). The status and I-use LEDs, assigned to the AS access key light up and the subscriber can establish the connection. If no free If facilities are available, a subscriber's attempt to initiate a connection is denied, and a Retry tone given. This feature is intended for subscriber sets without buttons and MET sets that do not with a corresponding. Button for grouped facilities are provided.

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Before zugung_ e in or Hauptlo .1 tung

This feature makes the subscriber when hanging up automatically connected to the line designated as the main line. A subscriber can change this preference by preselecting another line or pressing the hold button in front of the Overcome hanging. If a call priority for a line is also in operation at a given subscriber station is, then this feature has the merit.

Preference to a calling line

With this feature, a line access key is automatically selected for a hooked-on subscriber station, with a Connection calls the subscriber set. If two or more lines are calling at the same time, the subscriber will be with that Line connected that started calling first. If the subscriber wants to use a different line "., it must be selected in advance before being displayed. After a participant position has posted, the preference will be of a calling line is deleted for each subsequent connection until the subscriber goes on-hook again. If the calling stops while the subscriber station is still on-hook, the line preference reverts to the respective one applicable favor back - no wire or main.

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Each participant can use the +/- key to make any connection transfer to another subscriber position «. The transfer is achieved by holding the connection to be transferred is established, a connection to the desired subscriber station is established, the +/- key is pressed, then the button assigned to the held connection is pressed and finally the handset is hung up. Alternatively, a Free key line is added directly to the active line and the desired subscriber station is then selected will. A transfer from one subscriber station to another subscriber station and for more than 120 seconds Connection left in the ringing state is dropped if the transferring subscriber station is no longer active. This prevents an unsupervised, transferred connection occupies the system and the facilities in the office for as long as desired.

Direct extension dialing

This feature gives a subscriber the opportunity to directly contact another subscriber in the system without the assistance of the operator to choose. This is done by selecting a free access key AS and dialing the extension number of the. desired participant.

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Beis piel · a Confer en ζ op he ati on.

It becomes an electronic key telephone set according to FIG Fig. 2 used with non-latching buttons. Two light-emitting diode lamps are assigned to each key: a red I-Use light-emitting diode 212, which indicates when the subscriber set is active on a push-to-talk button, and a green status LED 211, which shows the status (for example, busy, free, etc.) of the device assigned to the key. One of the buttons is designated as the plus-minus (+/-) button, To activate a +/- conference operation, two keys must be pressed. First the +/- key is pressed and then a push-to-talk button, so that the device assigned to this button can be assigned to the existing call add or subtract from it.

When the +/- key is pressed, it becomes that key The associated green status LED is continuously switched on to indicate that the +/- feature is activated, and that the the next press of a talk-type key terminates the operation. In two cases, however, pressing the +/- key is ignored, i.e. the green LED is not switched on. On the one hand, this is the case when the subscriber machine is hung up has, and on the other hand, if there is no red I-Use light-emitting diode is switched on on the subscriber set. Both cases indicate that the subscriber set is not re an existing connection is active. Since the + A- operation is intended to accommodate one participant (several participants)

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to connect to an existing connection or from it to separate, no operation can be performed, wonn. the subscriber set not on any line is active.

If after pressing the +/- key and turning on your green status LED

.1) the subscriber set hangs up, then the +/- status LED is turned on switched off and the +/- operation terminated, or

Z) a free talk button (green status LED aiu;) is pressed, then a newly initiated connection is switched to the existing connection for which the subscriber set was active, or 3) a non-free (green status LED is switched on or flashes to indicate a If the subscriber set was not active on the key (red LED I-Use was switched off), the call corresponding to this key is switched to the existing call for which the subscriber set is active, or , if the subscriber set was active for this call (red I-Use LED was switched on), then the subscribers assigned to this key are disconnected from the call for which the subscriber set was active, or 4) a non-speaking type key. . (e.g. Hold.ste) is pressed, the +/- operation is ended,

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and the green status LED of the - * - / - key is switched off.

Process 4) is intended to correct an unintentional pressing of the +/- key. In addition, in order to reduce the effect of an unintentional disconnection operation in the event of a request by the subscriber station, the operation is refused when the disconnection operation Button is the only button for which the subscriber set is active, since the subscriber will arrive at the same result could, namely to end the conversation by simply hanging up.

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Detailed explanation

In the state memory (46 in FIG. 1), each ::; The following information is stored on the subscriber set:

a) The current status for each light-emitting diode (LED) (on / off) for the two light-emitting diodes assigned to the key;

b) the long-term status of each LED (blinking, blinking, on, off), this status becomes the station button status; (SBS from station Button, Status) for the status LED and station button I-Use (SBI from Station Button I-Use) for the I-Uso light-emitting diode called.

In addition, there is a status 3pe for each subscriber set: i - is provided that accommodates the following:

c) De'ri last ascertained current state of the; Switch and buttons on the subscriber set;

d) the desired state of the sound alarm clock in the subscriber set (On / Off, volume setting, frequency setting).

The processor (45 in FIG. 1) periodically extracts the information according to b) and uses it to obtain the current information according to a) to be brought up to date.

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The processor periodically extracts the information in the scanning cycle a) and d) and assembles them into a single long message for a single subscriber station in the format required for the MET subscriber set. the Message is sent to the MET apparatus using the data interface (47 in Fig. 1). The MET device gives the current status via the data interface his hook switch and buttons back to the processor.

The returned data is compared with the data according to c), and if any changes have occurred, they are stored in a short-term buffer for that subscriber station saved. At a later point in time, a further processor action called a "key processor" takes place Incentive added and the initiation of operations for the respective characteristic depending on this incentive,

Whenever the processor program wants to switch a light-emitting diode on or off or cause it to wave or flash it writes the respective bits in the status memory according to b), and the respective function occurs automatically as a result of the two periodic ones described above Operations on.

For each button there is a conversion record SBID (station button-

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Identification (from Station Button Identification) to. ■ ·,.! would give the key type. This information is in mr.'ioriscl ι ·. : · Form coded, for example the value 1 indicates the key r;, personal line, the value 2 the key for group.icv '■■ > ■ lines etc.

There are four possible states for a key of the speech type (for example, log access r: automatic internal call, personal leadi / mg, group.i · toi.cK ^: :: i are displayed: busy - (LED constantly switched on), free - (LED dark), calling - (LED flashes), hold. - (LKD waves).

This information is in the status data memory (46- ?.: i.i: i Fig. 1) in numerical form encoded. For a non-speaking type key, for example "Message Waiting", the same data format is used, but the valid statuses can be reduced to two (busy and Free).

As already described, the scanning subprograimno in the system by pressing a button on a MET subscriber station l Ie and report it to a buffer area where it waits for the processor subroutines to process. When such a change is processed by the processor subroutines, the key identification SKI π checked in memory 46-2 and then the key status information -

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tion S]) S in memory 46-2. The processor can do this in that way interpret the keystroke as a special command from the participant and the correct programs stored in 46-1 use to process the change. For example, the key press means

1) a free (from SBS) speech type (from SBID) key a connection initiation, for which the assigned facilities required are,

2) a calling (from SBS) speech type (from SBID) key Locating a calling connection. >

As stated above, the +/- operation consists of two Steps:

1) Press the +/- key and

2) Pressing a talk button.

Note that the common feature of these two steps is "press a key".

In the system controlled by a processor according to FIG When a key is pressed, this is sensed by the processor via the data bus and the interface units. This information is collected by the scan subroutines and the raw data is grounded in the short term storage area stored in read / write (status) memory, where they indicate which key has been pressed on which device. Later in the duty cycle, the processor calls a station button - processor subroutine on to the raw data

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to be processed according to the above explanation.

Before describing the operations of the system in detail, let us add a new one to implement the conference feature created concept, namely the discussion group ·; - ,. be explained. A talkgroup is always created ', when a new call is initiated, either by a request from a subscriber set or through an office seizure. A conference call is one Compilation of several discussion groups whose members are connected to the same switching matrix connection line and the conference control operations are operations that affect the talkgroups. That results more precisely in the description of the plant operations.

Fig. 3 shows the sections of the key processor program, that realizes the +/- operation. In Fig. 3 there are two processes that are labeled "elsewhere". Included These are processes that are not related to the +/- function and are therefore ignored here be able.

Fig. 4 shows those required to implement the +/- operation Station data:

1) SS: Subscriber set status (, station status), which indicates whether the subscriber set is on or off and whether the +/- key is on or off.

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2) CImI: part)) oliiaerappar; \ t ~ 'LGS'l; e: \ / vustand (S_t ation Button

Status), with the 2nd status of the green one of the station buttons assigned light emitting diode indicates.

3) SBI: I-Use information of a subscriber set button

(»Station Button _I-tJse Information), which indicates whether the I-Use LED of a button is on or is turned off.

4) SBLP: Teilnchvoerapparat-Tasteri-connecting line-

Note (EJtation Button Link Pointer) that the trunk number associated with a subscriber set button saves. It also saves the talkgroups more quickly.

5) SBID: Subscriber set key ID identification (station

Button Identification) showing the key assignment indicates.

The above information 1) to 4) are status data while the information 5) represents implementation data.

As mentioned above, a conference call is a gathering of talkgroups whose members are connected to the same switch fabric trunk. information about which institutions are in a discussion group and to which discussion groups they belong belong, are in the status data memory NLST according to FIG filed. There are five layers for each connecting line.

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deal, with five being the maximum: zahJ. eggs permissible Kcnfc-re ■■ -. is participant. Each position, if lied to, is assigned to a device connected to this connection line;. 'U,;: · arranges. The information in a location consists ου;:.:

1) the identification number of an entity that dot: Facility type (subscriber set, line, etc.) and whose particular internal index indicates.

2) the talkgroup to which the facility belongs.

According to FIG. 3, if the subscriber first presses the +/- key, then the key processor program runs through the decisions 1,2,3 and 4 for the processor information for switching on the +/- key to win. Then when a push-to-talk button is pressed, the program runs through to one of operations 14, 15 or 16 to complete the +/- operation.

The choices to be made are:

A.) Determine whether the key is a +/- key (decision 1).

This is done using the conversion table S] HD. If the +/- key is also assigned as a fixed key (for example, in a certain implementation of a message system, key 2 is always the -ι - / - key), then only the Key number required to determine whether a key is the +/- key.

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B) Is +/- switched on (decision 2, 9) °

This is done using the state cdnten SS, to check whether the +/- key of a particular participant set has been switched on.

C) Is it a hold button or a hook switch? (Decision 6).

A special key number is assigned to the hook switch. The hold button is assigned as a fixed button. Accordingly, it can be determined from the key number whether a particular key is a hold key is.

D) Is I-Use switched on (decision 11).

This is done using the status data SBI.

E) Is the state free (decision 13).

This is done using the status data SBS.

F) Is the subscriber set active in relation to a call (decision 3).

First, the hook switch status of the subscriber set is available in SS. If the subscriber set is hooked, the answer is no. If the subscriber set is off hook, then the I-Use light emitting diode information SBI of all buttons this one Participant set checked. If either of them is on, the answer is yes.

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G) If a key is a speech type key (decision B). This is done through. Check the partial liner apparatus "U-n Identification data SBID of the corresponding key.

H) Is this the only active key on the subscriber set (decision 12).

This is done by checking the SBI data of all buttons of the apparatus to determine whether another key is present where the I-Use LED is switched on.

The actions to be taken are:

A) Action 4: Switch on +/-.

This brings the status data SS up to date to the subscriber set status of Change +/- switched off to +/- switched on. It also keeps the SBS table up to date brought to the green status LED assigned to the +/- key to turn on.

B) Actions 5, 7, 10: switch off +/-.

This is the reverse of action h,

C) Action 16: Removing (detaching) a key.

The exact method for performing this action is given in FIG. 6 and is explained below will:

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AlctJ on 17:

Based on the availability data SBLP of the key to be disconnected the trunk number to which the key is assigned, identified * On the basis of this data SBLP can also be determined which talkgroup of this trunk (it shall be referred to as trunk Y) the key is assigned.

Action 2OA and Decision 20:

This involves setting up and checking the loop to check the NLST data of the connection line Y, which is the information sent to the connecting line connected conference participants included.

Decision 18:

Does an institution belong to a specific group?

The group information in NLST is consulted.

Action 19:

Disconnection of a device from a connection line.

There are three actions involved:

1) Disconnect the device from the connection line (Switching matrix operation).

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"ψ '

2) deleting the entry in NLST associated with the facility,

3) The establishment record is updated to show that the establishment of the Connection line is no longer assigned (for a subscriber set) "'Delete all subscriber set recordings a button that is assigned to this connection line via SBLP.

Action 21:

Switching off the light signals of a key and deleting its status records.

The processor subroutines switch the illuminated characters c-ius, by bringing the corresponding status data in SBS and SBl up to date. Before that, SBLP becomes this one Key perforated to indicate that it is no longer connected to any Connection line of the switching matrix is switched on.

D) Action 14:

Adding (intrusion) a newly initiated call.

The detailed procedures for this action are summarized in Fig. 7 and are explained below:

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Action 22; ■

Determine which connection line the subscribing device is to momentarily 'is switched on.

This is done through

1) which key of the subscriber set at the moment is busy (i.e. the I-Use LED is switched on) . For this purpose, the SBI data of all keys on the telephone device are checked;

2) after the key number has been identified, the SBLP data are interrogated this key to determine which connection line the key is assigned to,.

Action 23 1

Conference restriction check.

The conference restriction exams are developer selected Plant parameters. For example, the formation of a conference cannot be permitted during search calls (paging). The limit specified here is the maximum number of conference participants allowed for a conference call. Based The number of conference participants can be determined from the NLST data. Then this number is used to check Whether the addition of a further facility (for the newly initiated conversation) exceeds the conference limit.

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-k / - 0 \

Reject the add request. This ^K Do nothing "action is included here for clarity. If the addition request is denied, no action takes place (for example the illuminated characters of the key to be added remain unchanged).

Action 25: ''

Adding the facility required to initiate the call to connecting line X. First, the type of key to be added is based on its Identifies the conversion data stored in the memory SBID. If it is a facility access key, a outgoing register connected to the connection line. If it is a line button, a line is connected to the trunk. The new call initiation a new talkgroup is assigned and the information in NLST along with the particular identification number of the added facilities saved.

Action 26;

Switching on the light signals for the button that has just been added and bringing up the ~ newest ~ status of its status records.

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In doing so, the following state memories assigned to the added key are brought up to date;

1) SBI: to activate I-Use;

2) SBS: to indicate that the key status (and follow

Lich the status LED) is occupied;

3) SBLP: save the trunk number and

the group number of this new call initiation.

D) Action 15:

Add a new conversation to the conversation the participant is currently having.

The individual processes are shown in Fig. 8 and are explained below:

Action 27:

Determine which connection line the key to be added is assigned to.

. Action 28:
Same action as action 22.

Action 29 and Decision 30:
Conference boundary check.

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From the information stored in NLST, the
Processor determines how many facilities to connect; ζ - line X and how many are connected to the connection line Y, and determines whether the maximum number of conference participants is exceeded.

Action 32:

Transfer of all facilities from the connection line Y to the connection line X.

This is done using the following steps:

1) Set up a search loop to find all
Facilities connected to connecting line Y: same as action 17.

2) Establishing a device that is connected to the connection line Y, based on the NLST data of connecting line Y:

a) Connect this facility to the link. ^ -
line X (coupling matrix command) ί

b) Save your identification number and the conversation εgroup number in the connection line X associated NLST record;

c) their condition record is kept up to date
Stand brought to indicate that they are using the connecting line X instead of the connecting line

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Y is connected. Be for a participant set all SBLP data assigned to trunk Y and the old talkgroup to the brought up to date and changed so that they save the new connection line number X.

Action 33ί

Turn on the indicator light for the button you just added and update its status drawings :

1) SBS; Saving the I-Use activation information (and

accordingly switch on the I-Use light-emitting diode);

2) SBS: store the information to indicate that

the status of the key is occupied (and accordingly the status LED is switched on);

3) SBLP: the action deals with this information

32.

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Claims (3)

BLÜMBACH - WESER. BERGSFv 'KFAMER PATENT LAWYERS IN MUNICH AND WIESBADEN Patontconsult RadeckestraBe 43 DOU!) Munich 60 Tclelon (089) 88 56 03 / 88.56 04 Tolex 05-? 12313 Tolorji.immi. I'.il'-nlconsvili Piitontconsult Sonnenboiger Slraße 43 6200 Wiesbaden Telephone (06121) 56 2945/561998 Telex 0-1-186 '.' 57 Teleyr.immo WHenU.oii ;; »!! Western Electric Company Incorporated P 28 57 136.0 222 Broadway, New York, W.Y. 10038 PCT / US 78/00124 USA Fenton, F. M. 4-2-3-1 Patent claims: / 1J Conference arrangement in a message system with a Number of subscriber sets, each with a variety of Have buttons, and a switching matrix with a plurality of connecting lines and at least one device, characterized in that the arrangement of a memory-processor combination (Pig. 1: 45, 46) which, when a free aunt is operated, provides a message path to the next available connection line of the switching matrix (41) and from the same connection line a message path to a selected facility (40) manufactures, that the memory-processor combination. (Figures 1: 45, 46; Fig. 3: 1-15; Fig. 4; Fig. 7: 22-2.6) when the subscriber set has a communication link to an active connection ε line, when a certain Tar.tr Munich: R. Krame: Dipl.-Ing. - W. Westv Dipl.-Phys. Dr. ror. not. · H. P. ßfohm Oipl.-Chem. Dr. phil. not. Wiesbaden: P. G. ßlumbach Dipl.-Ing. · P. Bergen Dipl.-Ing. Dr. jur. · G. Zwirner Dipl.-Iruj. Dipl. W. Irir | 030 6 07/0008 on the subscriber set followed by pressing a free key a message path connection to the next available one The connection line blocks and instead a message path connection to the currently active one Connection line establishes a conference connection between the subscriber set, the currently active trunk and the selected facility. 2. Conference arrangement according to claim 1, characterized in that the memory and processor combination (Figs. 1: 45, 46; Fig. 4; Fig. 5; Fig. 8: 27-33) upon actuation of the particular key, followed by the actuation a key assigned to an active trunk for which the subscriber set does not have a message path has combined the active trunk with any other active trunk with which the Subscriber set currently has a communications link to set up a conference between the subscriber set, facilities on the active connection line and devices on the other active connection line, 3. Conference arrangement according to claim 1, characterized in that the memory and processor combination (Fig. 1: 45, 46; Fig. 4; Fig. 5; Fig. 6: 17-21) 030607/0008