GB1338967A - Telecommunications systems - Google Patents

Abstract

1338967 Automatic exchange systems SIEMENS AG 19 Jan 1972 [28 Jan 1971] 2486/72 Heading H4K A centralized automatic answering machine, e.g. for announcing new numbers to subscribers dialling dead or changed numbers, comprises a cyclic store AG having message elements on parallel tracks, to a number of answering switches AK1 to AKy each of which can selectively connect to any one of the tracks (at 1 to n), a switching network KF which can selectively interconnect any one of a plurality of line circuits TS1 to TSx to any one of the answering switches AK1 to AKy and a store 5 having individual connections d to the network inputs, storing in association with each connection a sequence of message elements (track identities) and arranged during each cycle of the store AG to transmit in succession one element from each of a plurality of messages to different switches AK1 to indicate to those switches the track to which each must be connected during the next cycle for simultaneous transmission of those messages. In the embodiment described each of the answering switches AK1 includes a set of relays one of which is enabled at a time to store the number of message elements (preliminary announcement and digits already transmitted). During each cycle of the drum and on instigation by tone or D.C. flag markings from the magnetic store those answering switches actively engaged in an announcement connect successively to the store S in succession as determined by a priority chain and pulse via the switching network and an identifier wire d the store S, which from a location associated with this identifier wire selects in accordance with the number stored in the then connected answering switch the next digit, transmits this to the answering switch and increments the number by one. When this count indicates that all digits have been transmitted the message is repeated once if the caller does not hang up.